Some tweets alleged a “Congress toolkit” to discredit fight against COVID-19

New Delhi:

The government has asked Twitter to remove “manipulated media” tags for tweets on an alleged “Congress toolkit” to discredit Covid efforts, sources said today. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra’s tweet on May 18 posting screenshots of the alleged “toolkit” was marked “manipulated media” by Twitter last evening.

Sources say the government has objected to the tag saying the case “is pending investigation before a law enforcement agency”.

“Investigation will determine the veracity of the content not Twitter. Twitter should not interfere in the investigation process. Twitter cannot pass its judgment while the matter is under investigation,” the sources said.

The Congress had urged Twitter to remove tweets by Sambit Patra and other BJP leaders, citing its police complaint calling the so-called “toolkit” forged.

Sambit Patra had posted the tweet on May 18 with the hashtag #CongressToolkitExposed. It was shared by several BJP leaders.

“Friends look at the #CongressToolKit in extending help to the needy during the Pandemic! More of a PR exercise with the help of “Friendly Journalists” & “Influencers” than a soulful endeavour. Read for yourselves the agenda of the Congress: #CongressToolKitExposed,” he had written, sharing what he called were screenshots from the document.

Friends look at the #CongressToolKit in extending help to the needy during the Pandemic!
More of a PR exercise with the help of “Friendly Journalists” & “Influencers” than a soulful endeavour.
Read for yourselves the agenda of the Congress:#CongressToolKitExposedpic.twitter.com/3b7c2GN0re

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 18, 2021

The Congress had complained to Twitter that the screenshots shared by Mr Patra and other BJP leaders were fake and had demanded that their accounts be permanently suspended for “spreading misinformation and unrest in society”.