On Election Commission's orders, Twitter removes Yogi Adityanath's 'green virus' tweets; 34 other 'communal content' removed

Two days after the Election Commission barred Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Union minister Maneka Gandhi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan from campaigning ahead of phase two of Lok Sabha election, Twitter has withheld two controversial tweets by Adityanath in which he had referred to the Muslim League as a “ green virus”. The report also states that 34 other tweets with communal content have been removed by Twitter. The Election Commission had banned Adityanath for 72 hours and the others for 48 hours for their “derogatory” remarks during poll rallies. [caption id=“attachment_5693501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Reuters[/caption] Adityanath’s latest tweet was about green flags being waved at the rally of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Kerala. The Indian Union Muslim League, which for long has supported the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala, filed a complaint with the election watchdog

स्वतंत्रता संग्राम में और स्वतंत्रता मिलने के बाद भी राष्ट्र के लिए बाबू जगजीवन राम जी के योगदान को नहीं भुलाया जा सकता।
वंचितों व शोषितों के अधिकारों के लिए किया गया उनका संघर्ष, हम सबको हमेशा प्रेरित और प्रोत्साहित करता रहेगा।
'बाबू जी' की जयंती पर उन्हें सादर नमन।

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 5, 2019

Economic Times quoted party’s national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty as saying, “IUML doesn’t need a certificate about its nationalist or patriotic credentials from any quarters including Adityanath. It is a recognised party in Kerala and has a long history of upholding the secular democratic ethos of our Constitution.” Not only Adityanath’s tweet, but Twitter has taken down a few other tweets by other ministers and politicians, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa, actor Koena Mitra, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, BJP youth-wing national president Harsh Sanghavi and former Special Forces officer Surendra Poonia. A total of 34 tweets from 31 handles have been withheld. The action which was taken on the directions of the Election Commission comes days after the poll panel drew flak from the Supreme Court for failing to rein in controversial statements made by politicians.