While the debate over E-20 petrol is intensifying across the country, a digital showdown was witnessed on Saturday that sparked a fresh discussion on social media. On one side was Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘National Townhall Against E-20’ organized at the Constitution Club in Delhi, while on the other was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s live program. The most talked-about aspect was not any speech, but the sheer presence of the audience.
During the townhall, nearly 7 lakh (700,262) people were connected live simultaneously on the official YouTube channel of the Aam Aadmi Party, whereas at the same time, around 3,324 people were seen live on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official YouTube channel. Sharing screenshots of this comparison on social media, people wrote, “The public is no longer listening to ‘Mann Ki Baat’, but to the leader who listens to their minds.”
The Aam Aadmi Party claims that this is not just a digital metric, but a sign of growing anger among people nationwide against E-20. The party stated that lakhs of people watched the townhall because it provided a platform to the issues faced by ordinary citizens, mechanics, professors, delivery riders, and vehicle owners. People raised concerns such as declining mileage, engine damage, rising servicing costs, and the impact of E-20 on older vehicles.
Arvind Kejriwal put forward three major demands to the government:
An option between both pure petrol and E-20 at every petrol pump,
E-20 should be made cheaper than pure petrol, and
The price of petrol should be reduced to below ₹84 per liter.
He alleged that the government is imposing E-20 across the country without placing adequate public scientific reports before the nation, while completely ignoring consumer concerns.
A large number of social media users raised questions asking that if E-20 is so beneficial, why is there hesitation in providing choices to the public? Many wrote that the government should answer the public’s questions rather than labeling critics as anti-national. On the other hand, supporters claimed that for the first time on a major political platform, the troubles of ordinary vehicle owners have become a subject of national debate.
The Aam Aadmi Party is calling it the “World’s Biggest Digital Rally” and claiming it proves that Arvind Kejriwal is not merely delivering political speeches on social media, but directly raising the daily issues of the general public. Party leaders stated that when lakhs of people voluntarily tune in to listen to a policy discussion, it serves as a warning to the government that ignoring public sentiments will not be easy.
The comparison remains a hot topic of discussion on social media. Supporters view it as an indicator of the changing mood of the public, while critics attribute it to differing event dynamics and viewer behavior. However, it is certain that this figure of 7 lakh vs 3 thousand has become the most talked-about symbol of the E-20 debate on social media, and the opposition is continuously using it to target the BJP government as proof of rising public dissatisfaction against its policies.