India’s government-owned telecom operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited, the MTNL, has been facing huge condemnation after it posted a tweet in support of Mahatma Gandhi’s killer, Nathuram Godse and took a potshot at Saif Ali Khan’s son Taimur.
One user, known as Nita Ambani, had tweeted saying that while Hindus were scared of just extending support to Nathuram Godse, some Muslims took pride in naming their children Taimur. The official Twitter handle of the MTNL responded to that obscure tweet in agreement and wrote, “Difficult to swallow the truth.”
The tweet, which was later deleted, evoked massive condemnation from Twitterati.
200 बच्चों की मौत के बाद देश के संचार का सरकारी स्टैंड ? ?? सही लिखा है ऐसे सरकारी “सच को पचाना मुश्किल है” ?? https://t.co/O1t6TmqrEB
— Dr Kumar Vishvas (@DrKumarVishwas) June 20, 2019
Mahatma Gandhiji was killed by Nathuram & his ideology similar to @BJP4India !
But Mahatmaji’s ideology is eternal, never be killed.@MTNLOfficial pl beware, under BJP rule, you & all PSU are under death threat!#ModiSarkar2https://t.co/3DBF2WCxsP
— Arjun Modhwadia (@arjunmodhwadia) June 21, 2019
This process of communalising the institutions has begun. Has BJP given charge of the social media handles of institutions to its fake news propagators and IT Cell? Shamefulhttps://t.co/Cnhsp08ZeR
— dibyendu das (@Dibyendu69) June 21, 2019
After bureaucrat now MTNL endorses Nathuram Godse. Tweets against Muslims! Shameful!!!! https://t.co/ZOQFaDK43I
— Sujit Nair (@sujitnair90) June 20, 2019
Faced with growing condemnation, MTNL shared its official statement with a tweet that read, “At the outset, MTNL regrets the inconvenience caused by the two objectionable tweets circulated on social media and Twitter.com and purportedly made @MTNLOfficial.We strongly condemns the above tweets and committed to investigate the matter. Press release enclosed.”
At the outset MTNL regrets the inconvenience caused by the two objectionable tweets circulated on social media and https://t.co/M8imPYWVWV , purportedly made @MTNLOfficial.We strongly condemns the above tweets and committed to investigate the matter. Press release enclosed. pic.twitter.com/HhSCm9RhZJ
— MTNL (@MTNLOfficial) June 20, 2019
The government-owned company claimed that its Twitter account was ‘compromised’ adding that the objectionable tweet may have been the handiwork of some hackers.
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan had been blessed with a baby boy in December 2017. Their decision to name their child Taimur, after the 14th century Mongol invader had irked Hindutva supporters, who had taken objection to the Bollywood couple’s decision.
