New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday created a huge controversy by retweeting a derogatory remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting the BJP to demand an apology from his party for the “filthy abuse”.
Though, Singh later insisted that the words are not his after controversy erupted, but the trolls did not spare him.
“Retweets are never endorsements. This is the basic principle of Twitter,” he said after the controversy erupted.
“I have said it is not mine. I have disowned it. I have not used those words,” he clarified, adding that “my tweet does not endorse this.”
As the Congress leader continues to receive flak, BJP spokesman GVL Narasimha Rao lashed out at Singh, saying opposition leaders like him have “degenerated into abusive trolls” after repeated electoral drubbings.
“Singh’s crass comments demonstrate the degeneration of a party that prides itself on a great legacy. These comments amount to insulting 130 crore people of India whose mandate is vested in the prime minister,” Rao said.
Earlier in the day, Singh had retweeted a meme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that said: “My two achievements – Made fools of bhakts, made bhakts out of fools” in Hindi.
The meme used an uncivilised word for “fool” in Hindi.
Digvijaya Singh shared the tweet with a disclaimer: “Not mine but couldn’t help posting it. My apologies to the person concerned. He is the best in the ‘Art of Fooling!'”
After it triggered a controversy, the Congress leader said that the words used by him – “He is the best in the ‘Art of Fooling'” — are “not derogatory”.
But in later tweets, he became belligerent and less defensive.
“I am being unnecessarily blamed for my tweet where I have supposed to have used abusive language against PM,” he posted on Twitter.
“I haven’t and even the comment in the picture hasn’t used the word against PM,” he wrote.
“But used that word which is normally used for “fooling”, for Modi Bhakts.”
“Naturally Modi Bhakts are up in Arms against me but I enjoy their abuses because they are being fooled by Modi and Paid also,” Singh’s another tweet read.
“And believe me there is no match for Modiji in the “Art of Fooling”. Any objections Modi ji?
I have a question for the Media,” Singh wrote.
“When Modi ji & those he follows have used abusive language against Sonia ji Rajivji Indira ji Nehru ji Gandhi ji why they remained quiet?” the Congress leader said.
“What abusive language and fake stories they have posted against them? Does Media not Notice them?, he further wrote.
“And don’t those who find my tweet offensive have the courage to speak up against them?”
“I have and shall continue to speak against those who are taking the whole Country for a ride by fooling the People with wrong facts,” Singh tweeted.
Source: Zee News