Election Body Asks Police To File FIR Against BJP’s Kapil Mishra For Communal Tweet

The Election Commission had earlier asked for Kapil Mishra’s tweet to be deleted.

New Delhi:

The Election Commission has asked the police to file a complaint against BJP leader Kapil Mishra over a communal tweet made against those protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act ahead of the assembly polls.

The poll body had earlier asked Twitter to remove the post that referred to protest spots in the city as “mini-Pakistans”, terming it as a “highly objectionable” comment that “appeals to communal feelings”.

In the tweet posted on Thursday, Mr Mishra had referred to Shaheen Bagh, the site of one of the most prominent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the country, as an entry point for Pakistan. “Pakistan is entering through Shaheen Bagh, and mini-Pakistans are being created in Delhi…Shaheen Bagh, Chand Bagh, Inderlok. The law is not followed here and Pakistani rioters are occupying the roads,” he posted in Hindi.

In another post, he compared the Delhi election on February 8 to an “India vs Pakistan” clash.

Mr Mishra has been issued a notice over the controversial tweets, and asked to file an explanation within a day. He has sought three days to reply. “I don’t think I said anything wrong. Speaking truth is not a crime in this country. I spoke the truth. I stand by my statement,” the BJP candidate said.

Citing the Model Code of Conduct, the Election Commission said Mr Mishra’s comments violated the rule that forbids “aggravating differences or creating mutual hatred or causing tension between different communities”.

Mr Mishra has been called out on many recent communal and incendiary tweets.

The 39-year-old is contesting the election as the BJP candidate from Model Town. A former close aide of Arvind Kejriwal, he fell out with AAP after publicly accusing the Chief Minister and a minister of corruption.