Kangana vs D Roopa: What is the spat about

Bengaluru, Nov 18: Popular Twitter account True Indology was suspended after its account holder got into an argument with IPS officer D. Roopa Divakar Moudgil, popularly known as D. Roopa over the ban on firecrackers in many parts of the country during Deepavali.

The war of words between the IPS officer and the user began with the former questioning the need for bursting firecrackers in Diwali. After a few replies, Twitter ended up suspending True Indology's account.

On November 14, Roopa, who is Home Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, put up a Facebook link on her Twitter handle to a post she had written supporting a ban on firecrackers.

"Ban on crackers in Bengaluru is for this year alone, given COVID situation. Why can't for one year we abstain ourselves from the use of crackers? Are we so hollow that our joy is dependent solely on crackers? there are many ways to celebrate Deepawali. Light diyas, meet people, exchange mithai...but no, adamant people only want crackers. How unreasonable!" the IPS officer wrote in her Facebook post.

Citing the impact of bursting crackers on people's health, and air pollution levels as well as its effect on Bengaluru's green cover, she wrote, "For those who cry victim that this is done to Hindus, well, crackers were not there during early and later Vedic age; there is no mention of crackers in our epics and puranas. Crackers came into this country with Europeans. It is no core tradition or custom related to Hinduism."

Her views sparked off a torrent of responses from other Twitter users, including True Indology, who took umbrage over her comments on firecrackers and Hindu customs.

The arguments got so heated up that Twitter ended up suspending True Indology's account.

Several popular figures including Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut have come out in support of the account and have demanded Twitter to restore it.

Kangana Ranaut has questioned Twitter policies and alleged that the social media platform's "bias and propaganda is embarrassing."

"When they don't have answers to your questions they break your house, put you in jail, gag your voice, or kill your digital identity. Eliminating one's digital identity is no less than murder in the virtual world, there must be strict laws against it," she wrote.

Also, Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra said that this is the second time Twitter has 'unreasonably' suspended one of the most informative and decent Twitter handles on the platform.

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi too slammed the IPS Officer. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Doesn't befit IPS officers of the country to be arguing with anonymous Twitter Handles that too during working hours. Make a point, let it go, you aren't winning anything by arguing on SM!"