As #BlockNarendraModi Trends, BJP IT Cell Says PM Following Someone Is Not A Character Certificate
For the past two days since the murder of senior journalist and critic of Hindutva politics Gauri Lankesh there was much outrage online especially on Twitter. A lot of Right-wingers were tweeting to celebrate the gruesome crime and some even wanted other anti-Modi journalists to face the same fate. One thing which was common about the twitter handles defending the murder were right wing trolls followed by Prime Minister Modis account. Many on twi...Read More
For the past two days since the murder of senior journalist and critic of Hindutva politics Gauri Lankesh, there was much outrage online, especially on Twitter. This was because a lot of Right-wingers were tweeting to 'celebrate' the gruesome crime and some even wanted other 'anti-Modi' journalists to face the same fate.
The worst PM india has seen till now. Following all abuser. #Shame#BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/KAmzI0ItHU
¡ª Hakeem for bhakt (@Hakeem__danish) September 7, 2017
One thing which was common about the twitter handles defending the murder were right wing trolls followed by Prime Minister Modi's account.
BCCL/ File
Many on twitter felt it was wrong for the Prime Minister of the country to follow an army of rabid abusive trolls making death threats and rape threat to women. That is how #BlockNarendraModi began. People started blocking the Indian Prime Minister's personal account and urged others to do the same.
My humble contribution to 'SwatchTwitter' Modi Ji clean ur mind before surroundings #BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/hknAcettGw
¡ª RKHURIA (@rkhuria) September 7, 2017
Felt so ashamed to follow a PM who follows only troll handles n handles which spread hate.
¡ª Family Babylukose (@FBabylukose) September 7, 2017
SHAME on him #BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/yiRiHTQ5np
#BlockNarendraModi cant be following someone who follow plots of humanity. pic.twitter.com/5exfILWeUp
¡ª The boy has No name (@zamanimzak) September 8, 2017
Feel Free #BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/Q4vCdZzhyA
¡ª rofl salman ?? (@salman287) September 8, 2017
It is trending again....#BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/LdatlaitOR
¡ª Dr. Sania ?? (@DrSaniaMaan) September 8, 2017
Congratulations India! UNESCO has just declared PM MODI as the most blocked person by the most no. of people in the world #BlockNarendraModi
¡ª Ankit Chauhan (@MumbaiyaPorga) September 8, 2017
#BlockNarendraModi is a manifestation of public anger. Paid violent trolls and the large treasury chest of the #BJP cannot stop Indians.
¡ª Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) September 7, 2017
Narendra Modi became First Prime Minster of India who was blocked on @Twitter by the Citizens for following abusive troll #BlockNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/CkBYKWToUA
¡ª Invincible (@i_me_my5elf) September 7, 2017
After coming under heavy criticism the BJP has defended the Prime Minister. In a statement Amit Malviya, the head of the party's IT cell said the controversy is mischievous and contorted.
"PM Modi is the only leader who freely engages with people on social media platforms. He follows normal people and frequently interacts with them on various issues," the statement said.
It also added that PM following someone on twitter is not a character certi?cate of a person and is not in anyway a guarantee of how a person would conduct himself.
He also went on to accuse opposition politicians like Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal of following twitter trolls.
The controversy over PM following people on Twitter is mischievous and contorted: Shri @malviyamit, National Head - Information & Technology pic.twitter.com/8Ss6fgCOj2
¡ª BJP (@BJP4India) September 7, 2017
This is not the first PM Modi's association with the troll army has courted controversy. The PM's personal handle has 33.8 million followers and the account follows 1,779 people.
In February this year, TMC MP Derek O'Brien had told the Rajya Sabha that "twenty-six Twitter handles that give out rape threats, communal threats are followed by the Prime Minister of India".
He also went on to name @Bhak_sala, a right-wing twitter account used by Rahul Raj, and Mahiviram.
O'Brien claimed that some of them were invited to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's house for a social digital party, adding that these were paid handles.
In July last year, Modi had hosted a group of 150 social media influencers at his official residence, most of them, known abusive right-wing trolls.
Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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