Congress’ social media chief calls Modi 'chor' after sedition case

Hours after the Indian Uttar Pradesh Police booked Congress' social media chief Divya Spandana for sedition for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "thief" in one of her tweets, she went on to do it again.

"Thank you, guys, for extending your support. And for those who didn't like the tweet, what can I say? Will keep it 'classy' next time. India should do away with the sedition law. It's archaic and misused. To the folks who filed the FIR — #PMChorHai," Spandana tweeted.

Spandana was booked for posting an "insulting" tweet against PM Modi, and the case was registered at the Gomtinagar police station in Lucknow.

"An FIR was registered against Divya Spandana under the Information Technology Act and relevant sections of the IPC," said Gomtinagar SHO DP Tiwari.

The FIR was lodged on a complaint by lawyer Syed Rizwan Ahmed, who alleged that Spandana tweeted an "utterly insulting" post against the prime minister.

A case under Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code (sedition) and Section 67 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act has been registered against Spandana.

In his FIR, a copy of which he posted on Twitter, Ahmed accused Spandana of damaging the image of the nation on the international stage with her tweet against the PM.

Thanking the UP Police and those who supported him, the lawyer tagged the PM suggesting that his legal team would have to be more alert.

"Twitter friends and me took action because you are the nation's Prime Minister and not that of a political party," he wrote.

Spandana had on 24 September posted a tweet containing a morphed picture showing PM Modi writing the word "chor" on the forehead of a statue of him.

Her tweet was in line with the Congress party president Rahul Gandhi's Tuesday remarks that the PM was a "thief".

Speaking to mediapersons on 25 September, the 48-year-old Congress chief accused the PM of favouring Anil Ambani through the Dassault Rafale deal.

"The PM had said I am the 'chowkidar' (guard) of the nation. So this chowkidar put the money of the youth and the Air Force in the pockets of Anil Ambani, who has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore on him, just like Vijay Mallya has debt," Gandhi had said.

Copyright: The Statesman/ Asia News Network