'Do not follow those who undermine your dignity': journalist Ravish Kumar urges PM Modi
There are many other people whose tweets reek of intolerance and PM Modi happens to follow them.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in recent times drawn a lot of flak for following certain Twitter accounts that spew venom and issue threats at will in the social media.
The issue made headlines soon after renowned journalist Gauri Lankesh's assassination. One Nikhil Dadhich, from Surat, posted a seriously offensive and insensitive tweet after Lankesh's murder. Not only was the language of the tweet derogatory, he seemed to approve Lankesh's killing. PM Modi follows Dadhich on Twitter.
There are many other people whose tweets reek of intolerance and PM Modi happens to follow them.
NDTV's senior journalist Ravish Kumar expressed disappointment over this and posted a letter on media channel's website saying that following such people does not behoove the dignity of PM's office.
“The
sad
part
is
that
you
happen
to
follow
some
of
these
people
on
Twitter
who
use
grotesque
language
and
indiscriminately
dole
out
threats.
And
you
have
continued
to
subscribe
to
their
accounts
even
after
their
malevolence
was
highlighted
in
public
and
sparked
controversies.
That
such
people
should
be
able
to
claim
or
have
any
affiliation
to
you
does
not
behoove
either
you
or
the
dignity
of
your
office,”
his
appeal
to
PM
said.
Kumar
has
also
cited
examples
of
him
being
at
the
receiving
end
of
such
tweets
or
rather
threats.
The
senior
journalist
has
also
said
that
some
of
these
people
have
been
seen
in
photographs
with
certain
Union
Ministers.
“I have a question for you. Do you really follow Niraj Dave and Nikhil Dadhich? Why? A few days ago, I shared a couple of screenshots from their WhatsApp group on my Facebook page @RavishKaPage. An investigation by Pratik Sinha and Neelesh Purohit of AltNews shows that Niraj Dave is a resident of Rajkot and is the Managing Director of an export company. You follow Niraj Dave. When I asked him not to use abusive language, he replied that he is sad that I am alive,” Ravish Kumar wrote.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Congress MP Ashok Chavan on Thursday raised concerns over threats to senior journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Ravish Kumar. The MP from Nanded wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking protection to both scribes in the wake of attacks on rationalists.
Deeming the trend 'extremely dangerous' Chavan has asked Rajnath Singh to intervene and stop the 'attack on the fought pillar of democracy'. The Congress leader claimed that the two senior journalists were doing their jobs in a democratic manner and threats attempting to silence their voices was not acceptable.
OneIndia News