The Defence Ministry’s public relations officer (PRO) in Jammu allegedly deleted a tweet about an iftar organised by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda, reported The Indian Express.
This took place after the post had come under attack from right-wing personalities on Twitter such as Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News.
On 21 April, the PRO tweeted photographs of an iftar held by the Army in Doda and wrote, “Keeping alive the traditions of #secularism, an Iftaar was organised by the #IndianArmy at Arnora in #Doda District. #Ramadan."
The photographs showed the iftar gathering, the General Officer Commanding of the Delta Force of the Army’s Rashtriya Rifles interacting with local Muslims and a uniformed person offering namaz with civilians.
The PRO's tweet prompted Sudarshan News editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke to tweet, “Ab ye bimari Bharatiya sena mein bhi ghus gayi hai? Dukhad… (Now this disease has spread even in the Indian Army? Sad...)"
Chavhanke's tweet in response to the Defence PRO.
(Photo: Screengrab/Twitter)
Similar sentiments were echoed by several other right-wing Twitter accounts.
Eventually, without any comment or clarification, the Jammu Defence PRO's account deleted the original tweet highlighting the iftar.
Veterans Defend PRO's Iftar Tweet, Criticise Deletion
Retired officer Major General Yash Mor spoke up in defence of the PRO's initial tweet by posting, "Indian Army has been at the forefront of interfaith harmony. We as officer's take pride in the fact that we have NO religion, we just adopt the religion of the troops we command!"
Speaking to The Indian Express, Lt Gen H S Panag (retd) too defended the original tweet, and referred to the act of deleting it as "cowardice."
Panag said, “The concerned PRO and the Army should have had the guts to defend the tradition of holding iftar during Ramzan. There is nothing wrong in it. In any case, there is nothing new in holding an iftar in J&K and this has been a practice for many years.”
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