Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said that the protesting students of Jawaharlal Nehru University had the support of Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed.
http://twitter.com/DelhiPolice/status/698105156366241792/photo/1
Speaking to reporters, Rajnath Singh said, ” Unfortunate that JNU incident has been supported by LeT Chief Hafiz Saeed. Nation must also accept the reality that incident that took place in JNU,has been supported by LeT Chief Hafiz Saeed. Nobody should try to achieve political benefits from such incidents.
The Home Minister must go public with the evidence collected that enabled him to level this charge against the #JNU students #HafizSaeed
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2016
“I have given clear instruction that strict action must be taken against anyone who’s found guilty but innocent people must not be harassed.”
However, Singh’s extraordinary statement that Saeed extended his support to the protesting students of the JNU was reportedly based on a fake tweet posted from a parody account of Hafiz Saeed on 12 February.
This tweet was widely used by the RSS supporters to vilify the left leaning students of the JNU.
Delhi police too used this tweet to go on the social media platform to warn students ‘not to get carried away’ by seditious message. It asked the social media users to share this tweet widely.
Opposition parties have slammed Singh for comments on Saeed.
What is happening is extremely dangerous https://t.co/XiemmkZOWb
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 14, 2016
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “What is happening is extremely dangerous.”
The Union Home Minister has made a very serious allegation about terrorists 'backing' JNU protests. We hope that he has concrete proof.
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) February 14, 2016
Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the CPIM, said, “The Union Home Minister has made a very serious allegation about terrorists ‘backing’ JNU protests. We hope that he has concrete proof.”
Former Chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, too asked Singh to prove his claim on Hafiz Saeed backing the JNU protests.
He tweeted, “The Home Minister must go public with the evidence collected that enabled him to level this charge against the #JNU students #HafizSaeed”
The Home Minister must go public with the evidence collected that enabled him to level this charge against the #JNU students #HafizSaeed
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2016
Social media users have been quick to condemn and mock the home minister for his ‘atrocious’ comment on the ongoing controversy.
Social media users have been quick to condemn and mock the home minister for his ‘atrocious’ comment on the ongoing controversy.
Mr @HMOIndia its a fake account.. #HafizSaeed. Is this govt gormless or simply ghoulish?
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) February 14, 2016
A fake Twitter handle of Hafiz Saeed being cited and then used by home minister? Banana republic or what?? Some rationality please.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 14, 2016
Sanghi parody accounts have become a serious threat to the Government that has started relying on them for news. ?
— Brumby (@brumbyoz) February 14, 2016