Prime Minister’s Twitter circle generates debate in the Parliament

On Friday afternoon, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament engaged in a debate concerning social media. Moot question: Why does Prime Minister Narendra Modi follow Twitter trolls?

India’s ruling party BJP has in the past had problems with journalists and activists who have accused it of organized trolling. 

But on Thursday, it was a rival party spokesperson who demanded to know why the PM’s handle was following alleged trolls. 

A BJP minister retorted with a sharp answer today. 

Smriti Irani, the government’s Textile Minister, was responding to the allegations made by TMC spokesperson Derek O’ Brien, who had said that “26 Twitter handles that give out rape threats, communal threats are followed by the Prime Minister of India… Two of these handles have been suspended by Twitter.” 

He even claimed: “They are paid handles… They are invited now to the Prime Minister’s house for a nice social digital media party,” referring to a party that the PM had hosted two years ago for 150 ‘social media influencers’.

One of the handles in question was @bhak_sala run by the owner of a right-wing commentary site who later took to Twitter to refute the claims. 

Ad then went on to acknowledge the BJP’s intervention in the matter. 

However, Twitter failed to arrive at a consensus.