'Modi's Cabinet & Modi Himself Failed To Protect A Minister': Owaisi Condemns Online Trolling Of Sushma Swaraj

Updated on: 3 July 2018 8:02 am

Condemning the online trolling of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj,Hyderabad MP and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said it was unfortunate and shocking that no BJP leader or minister had defended her.

"...(Swaraj), a senior BJP leader and the External Affairs Minister is forced to go for a poll on her twitter handle (against the offensive tweets directed at her).

Despite this, none of her Cabinet colleagues nor anyone from the party came out in her support and condemned against usage of such a language," Owaisi said here.

"It is unfortunate. No one condemning (it) is shocking and painful. Political differences are and will be there.It is shocking that no one from the BJP nor from the Cabinet are condemning it," he said.

Pointing out that her husband had to tweet in her support, he alleged that it appeared that the government was in a way openly supporting those spreading hatred and threats on the social media.

"Not only BJP as a party, Modi's cabinet and Modi himself failed to protect a minister from such things", he alleged.

Asked if BJP's social media cell was behind the trolling, Owaisi said "whoever promotes BJP's hate ideology are behind the attacks."

Facing online abuse over a passport row involving an interfaith couple, Sushma Swaraj conducted a poll on Twitter, asking users whether they "approve such trolling, to which 57 per cent respondents said they oppose it.

After the poll, Swaraj tweeted, "In a democracy difference of opinion is but natural. Pls do criticise but not in foul language. Criticism in decent language is always more effective."

On the Trump administration's warning against oil imports from Iran, Owaisi said "America and the Trump administration does not want us (India) to purchase Oil from Iran and also to develop Chabahar port.

India is a sovereign country. The United States cannot dictate to us. I hope Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reject this and the government does not come under pressure (from the US)".

PTI