assembly-elections

Updated: Jan 24, 2020 14:00 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra, who is facing the heat over his mini-Pakistan tweet, has responded to news about the Election Commission of India (ECI) writing to Twitter to take down his tweet. In a fresh tweet on Friday, Mishra attacked Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accusing them of being communal.

हिन्दू मुस्लिम कौन कर रहा हैं -



वो सिसोदिया जो कहते हैं शाहीन बाग के साथ खड़े है



वो प्रियंका गांधी जो तुर्कमान गेट में गाड़ियां जलाने वालों का साथ देती हैं



वो केजरीवाल जो दंगाइयों को 5- 5 लाख रुपये बांट रहे हैं



जो अमानतुल्ला, शुएब इकबाल जैसे भड़काउं लोगो को टिकट दे रहे हैं — Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 24, 2020

“Who is playing the Hindu-Muslim card? Manish Sisodia who says he is with Shaheen Bagh protesters? Priyanka Gandhi who supports those who burned vehicles at Turkman Gate in Delhi? Kejriwal who is distributing Rs 5 lakh to hooligans? Who are giving tickets to people like Amanatullah and Shoaib Iqbal, known for making provocative speeches?” Mishra said in his tweet posted in Hindi.

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said at an event organised by a television channel on Thursday that he stands with the people of Shaheen Bagh.

The Election Commission, meanwhile, has sent a request to Twitter, asking the micro-blogging website to remove a tweet posted by Mishra on Thursday, where he compared Delhi polls to India-Pakistan match. Mishra’s post, the ECI said, is “highly objectionable” and “appeals to communal feelings”.

Mishra has been served a showcause notice by the Returning Officer, asking him to explain why action should not be taken against him. The BJP leader has said he will reply to the notice, but refused to take down his tweet. “Whatever I said is true,” Mishra said on Friday.

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮

𝘃𝘀

𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻



8𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶



8 फरवरी को दिल्ली की सड़कों पर हिंदुस्तान और पाकिस्तान का मुकाबला होगा — Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) January 23, 2020

Mishra posted a series of tweets on Thursday in which took on AAP and Congress. In his first tweet, Mishra called the February 8 Assembly election in Delhi as an India-Pakistan match.

When Twitterati reacted, Mishra defended his statement and claimed that protest against the citizenship act or CAA in Shaheen Bagh - where protesters are sitting on the road for over a month now - is Pakistan sponsored. He also said that the protesters in Shaheen Bagh are not following the rule of law.

The Shaheen Bagh protests have emerged as a symbol of defiance against the government move to amend the citizenship act. These protests have been replicated at a number of places across the country, but in Delhi, people are facing a lot of inconvenience due to it. Road Number 13A, which connects Delhi and its sururb Noida, has been closed since the protest began. All the efforts by the administration have failed to deter the protesters.

“Roads are encroached upon in Shaheen Bagh, people aren’t being allowed to go to schools, offices, hospitals, inciting slogans are being raised. The shamelessness with which Manish Sisodia said he stands with Shaheen Bagh means that this is a political movement,” Mishra said on Friday morning, while reacting to the showcause notice. He had raised political temperature in the national capital on Thursday when he said, while referring to anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh, that there are “mini Pakistans” in pockets of Delhi and that Congress and AAP are responsible for it.

Mishra also said that such seditious acts will get an answer by patriotic Indians on February 8.

Mishra was removed as minister by Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in 2017. Last year, he was also disqualified as AAP lawmaker under the anti-defection law.

He joined the BJP in August last year.