Anil Vij gets backlash on Twitter for his hateful tweet against the arrested climate change activist Disha Ravi.
The home and health minister and BJP leader Anil Vij stirred up controversy on Twitter with his tweet on Monday, stating that 'anti-national' people like Disha Ravi should be "destroyed from roots". This controversial tweet received flak from Twitter users and they attacked the minister and other prominent faces with potent questions.
Tweeting on the arrest of climate change activist Disha Ravi, Anil Vij wrote in Hindi, “Desh virodh ka beej jiske bhi dimaag mein ho, uska samool naash kar dena chahiye fir chache woh #disharavi ho ya koi aur (If seeds of anti nationalism have been sown in somebody's thought process, he/she should be destroyed from roots... whether she is Disha Ravi or anyone else)."
देश विरोध का बीज जिसके भी दिमाग में हो उसका समूल नाश कर देना चाहिए फिर चाहे वह #दिशा_रवि हो यां कोई और ।
— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) February 15, 2021
Outrage on Twitter
The tweet was initially deleted by Twitter, but then again restored after a while. The BJP leader shared a screenshot showing that Twitter retrieved the tweet as it 'is not subject to removal' under rules governing extreme speech online. Furthermore, it also informed that the tweet was deleted based on a complaint from a user in Germany under Germany's Network Enforcement Act - which compels social network providers to delete unlawful content within a short time-frame without prior investigation.
However, the tweet received immense backlash from Twitter users and asked for the removal of such hate speech.
One user replied, "KINDLY WITHDRAW THIS TWEET. it's not in in line with your responsibility & protector of civil rights of all citizens as a minister who has taken oath to protect the constitution of India."
Mohan Kumaramangalam, Indian National Congress leader from Tamil Nadu, reacted online, “A minister in Haryana believes #DishaRavi must be destroyed. Take it from me, Haryana will give BJP a befitting reply in the next polls and this man will be an unknown bottom feeder for the remainder of his life."
A minister in haryana believes #DishaRavi must be destroyed. Take it from me, haryana will give BJP a befitting reply in the next polls and this man will be an unknown bottom feeder for the remainder of his life https://t.co/8LL1gy3Ez2
— Mohan Kumaramangalam மோகன் குமாரமங்கலம் (@MKumaramangalam) February 15, 2021
Shashi Tharoor, Rajya Sabha MP from INC, tweeted in response to it, "Surely tweets like this are far more harmful to our democracy than anything in the “toolkit” @DISHARAVI21 retweeted?"
Surely tweets like this are far more harmful to our democracy than anything in the “toolkit” @DISHARAVI21 retweeted? https://t.co/veVEp6CyUN
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 15, 2021
Anil Vij's response to backlash
According to Times of India, Anil Vij responded to the controversy and said, “I do not say that objecting to government’s policies is a crime. It is democracy and anybody can object to any issue. But conspiring with foreign powers to raise an objection comes under the category of anti-national. If we do not stop this and take action immediately, it will spread like a contagious disease. It is not in the interest of the nation. Therefore, the strictest action should be taken against such people."
He further stated that strict action should also be taken against those who support such conspiracy, no matter how powerful the person is.
Disha Ravi Arrest
Disha Ravi, a climate change activist from Bengaluru, was arrested by the Delhi police on February 14 in connection with the tool kit tweeted by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. This ‘toolkit’ tweet by Greta was on the ongoing farmers’ protests in India. Read more about the arrest here.