Twitter Withholds Two Tweets by UP CM Yogi Against Muslim League
Yogi in his tweets had made communal and derogatory remarks about the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Twitter has withheld two controversial tweets of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, after a directive from the Election Commission of India (ECI). According to News18, Adityanath had made a derogatory remark against the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), an ally of the Congress party in Wayanad, Kerala.
The tweets, dated 4 April, now show the message: “This tweet from @myogiadityanath has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
"The Muslim League is a virus, and spares no one infected by it. Today, the country's main opposition party Congress is infected with this virus. What will happen if the party wins the elections? The virus will spread across the country," Adityanath had tweeted.
"In the 1857 freedom struggle, the whole country joined Mangal Pandey to fight against the British. But the Muslim League virus arrived and divided the country. Now the green flags are fluttering again as the Congress has been infected by the Muslim League virus. Beware!"
The BJP leader's comments came a day after Congress President Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala.
Gandhi was greeted with green flags of the IUML as thousands cheered him on the streets.
The IUML had lodged a complaint with the EC over Adityanath’s remarks.
Apart from Adityanath’s tweets, similar action has been taken against 34 tweets from 31 other handles, including those of BJP IT Cell head Amit Malaviya, Akali Dal MLA Majinder Singh Sirsa, Ajay Kushwaha and Koena Mitra.
According to News18, IUML leaders welcomed the move by EC.
"Social media should not be misused so as to bring hatred against communities. This should act as a stern warning for others,” said Haris Biran Beeran, head of the IUML legal team, as quoted by News18.
(With inputs from News18 and IANS)
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