BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday wished India’s junior home minister Kiren Rijiju on his birthday without realising that his action will lead to his incessant trolling on social media.
Writing on Twitter, Patra wrote, “Warm Birthday wishes to Sh @KirenRijiju Ji May He be blessed with a long and healthy life!”
Warm Birthday wishes to Sh @KirenRijiju Ji
May He be blessed with a long and healthy life!— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) November 19, 2018
No sooner had he posted his tweet, he began to face trolling from his political rivals and social media users critical of him. They mocked the BJP spokesperson for extending birthday greetings to a person, who had famously claimed to eat beef. Rijiju had said in 2015, “I eat beef, I’m from Arunachal Pradesh, can somebody stop me? So let us not be touchy about somebody’s practices.” He was responding to a question on Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s statement saying that those who wished to eat beef should go to Pakistan.
The BJP has been opposing the consumption of beef and people supporting the party’s Hindutva ideology have attacked countless individuals by even killing many on the suspicion of eating beef.
AAP MLA Alka Lamba wrote sarcastically, “Here’s a BJP spokesperson wishing birthday greetings to a beef eater. Healthy life.”
बीफ़ खाने वाले को बधाई देते हुए BJP का राष्ट्रीय प्रवक्ता ?.. Healthy Life ?? https://t.co/XQ2ZYeRqMz
— Alka Lamba (@LambaAlka) November 19, 2018
Many other users reacted with similar taunts in response to Patra’s tweet.
Give him #beefparty.
— Rahul ?? (@shendagerahul12) November 19, 2018
Happy birthday to beef eater…??
— Zahir Khan?? (@Official_Z_Khan) November 19, 2018
बीफ के साथ किया पात्रा जी वैसे रिजूजू जी आज कोरमा खाएंगे जन्मदिन की खुशी में
— Shayaan Wasim (@indianmuslim123) November 19, 2018
खुद को सबसे बड़ा हिन्दू बताने वाला गोबर पात्रा
इक बीफ खाने वाले को जन्मदिन की बधाई दे रहा है??
देश के एकता और भाईचारे का सबसे बड़ा दुश्मन
गोबर पात्रा??— ???? MADHUP CHAUDHARY???? indian????. (@IndianMadhup) November 19, 2018
किरन रिजिजू गाय का मांस खाता है।
— คlקєรђ ?? (@ImAlpesh) November 19, 2018
The first person to have been lynched under the Narendra Modi government to death on suspicion of consuming beef was Dadr’s Mohammad Akhlaq. His killers had included a son of local BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh. Union Minister and local MP Mahesh Sharma had travelled to Dadri to pay his tribute with folded hands with one of the killers had died of dengue in jail. Akhlaq’s killer’s body was brought wrapped in India’s national flag, an honour reserved for India’s soldiers or people, who’ve contributed to the nation building.
Interestingly, Patra was thrown out of a live debate on NDTV last year, when he accused the channel of carrying an agenda while hosting a debate on the politics of cattle ban.
