It seems courting controversies has no end for the Aam Aadmi Party. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday raised eyebrows in political circles by re-tweeting a music director’s contentious tweet which had references to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The controversial move by the Chief Minister on the virtual world came hours after Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who was widely criticised for a controversial raid targeting African nationals in his constituency, went against the protocol and posted a tweet on his twitter account criticising President Pranab Mukherjee for his statement on anarchy.
Mr. Kejriwal re-tweeted music director Vishal Dadlani’s tweet on Monday night which read, “Stuck between a moron and a murderer....what now, India?”
Mr. Dadlani tweeted after Mr. Gandhi’s interview was telecast by a news channel. Re-tweeting of any tweet by any twitter user is generally understood to be an endorsement unless clarified. But the move of the Chief Minister on the virtual world provoked criticism by the BJP.
BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharamam told the media that as Chief Minister Mr. Kejriwal should be “doubly conscious” of what he endorses.
“Being a Chief Minister he should now be doubly conscious of what he endorses, if he doesn’t, he does not have any business to re-tweet it and start this kind of language in the social media,” the BJP leader said.
The same day, Mr. Somnath Bharti reacted sharply to President Pranab Mukherjee's comments against “populist anarchy” raising the issues of 1984 and 2002 riots.
“If the AAP actions were anarchy, what would Hon President consider 1984 and 2002 riots as? Agitation? Lol. A good joke Mr. President !!!.kamdar," Mr. Bharti tweeted but later he deleted the tweet saying that it was some body else who tweeted on his timeline.
Interestingly, Mr. Bharti’s tweet seems to be inspired by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s tweet which was re-tweeted by the Chief Minister.
“Dear Mr. President. Activism n Anarchy r not the same. Anarchy was 1984 when mobs went on rampage killing Sikhs. Provoked by State n Police,” the filmmaker had tweeted on the Republic Day.
In his Republic Day address to the nation on Saturday Pranab Mukherjee had said that “populist anarchy is no substitute for the governance”, which many saw as a veiled criticism of the AAP.