Maha govt to probe celebs tweets on farmer protest; BJP fumes

The Maharashtragovernment's intelligence department will conduct a probe intoallegations some celebrities were pressurised to post tweetswith regard to the farmers' protest, said Home Minister AnilDeshmukh on Monday, drawing an angry response from the BJP.

Deshmukh made the remarks on an online platform afterthe Congress, a ruling coalition ally in Maharashtra, soughtan investigation into the BJP's alleged connection with recenttweets of some celebrities on the ongoing farm protest and tofind out whether the saffron party ''arm-twisted'' them inposting those statements which were deemed pro-Centre.

In New Delhi, BJP president J P Nadda took a swipe atthe Maharashtra government over the probe move, saying it hasa unique model of governance that hails ''noises of anarchy''from overseas but ''harasses'' patriotic Indians who stand forthe nation.

''MVA in Maharashtra has a unique model of governance -hail noises of anarchy from overseas who show India in poorlight but harass patriotic Indians who stand for the nation.

It is difficult to decide what is more flawed: theirpriorities or their mindset?'' Nadda tweeted.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant andsome other party leaders on Monday raised the demand for aprobe into tweets before Deshmukh in a meeting via videoconference.

Deshmukh, an NCP leader, is currently in isolationafter testing positive for COVID-19 recently.

A number of prominent personalities, including cricketicon Sachin Tendulkar and legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar,recently rallied around the central government on social mediausing hashtags #IndiaTogether and #IndiaAgainstPropaganda.

This came after tweets by American pop star Rihannaand climate activist Greta Thunberg backing farmers who areprotesting near Delhi's border points against the Centre'sthree new farm laws.

After the virtual meeting with Deshmukh, Sawant in atweet said, ''Demanded investigation of BJP connection into thetweets of celebrities & security to be provided to ournational heroes if needed & find out whether these celebritieswere arm-twisted by BJP.'' Responding to the demand, Deshmukh said the objectionof the Congress leaders is in connection with the timing ofthe tweets and whether they were issued under pressure.

Deshmukh noted the tweets posted by badminton starSaina Nehwal and Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar were similar.

The Congress's question is whether they (celebrities)were forced to issue tweets of the same kind simultaneously,the home minister said.

''You may have seen what kind of pressure is there onthe media, how a politician is threatened with ED or CBI probeif he/she speaks against the BJP. We have all seen this.

''As far as your objection (about celebrities' tweets)is concerned, we will definitely probe into those. Ourintelligence agency will probe it,'' Deshmukh said.

Deshmukh said during the video conference, Sawantdiscussed this ''serious issue'' with him.

''Despite being infected by COVID-19, I gave him timebecause this issue is related to farmers. I heard him out andassured to take action as per rules in this connection,'' theminister said.

Taking to Twitter later, Deshmukh said thosefelicitated with the Bharat Ratna (Tendulkar and Mangeshkarare recipients of India's highest civilian award) arerespectable to all.

The NCP minister, however, added that the Congress hasdemanded a probe whether any BJP leader pressurised them(the Bharat Ratna awardees) into posting the tweets inquestion.

The persons felicitated with the Bharat Ratna arerespectable to all of us. But has any of the BJP leaderspressurised them? The Congress has demanded a probe of thatleader, Deshmukh tweeted in Marathi.

Meanwhile, addressing reporters in Mumbai, MaharashtraCongress chief Nana Patole accused the central government ofpressurising celebrities, ''like the underworld'' once used todo.

He asked celebrities to not fall prey to such allegedpressure tactics because they are youth icons.

The Narendra Modi government is using celebrities todivert attention from the issues concerning farmers, the poor,unemployed and small industrialists, Patole alleged.

''The BJP government is doing what the underworld onceused to do,'' Patole said.

Meanwhile, in a stinging attack, senior BJP leaderDevendra Fadnavis termed the move to investigate tweets bycelebrities as ''disgusting and highly deplorable'' and said theruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) should feel ashamed while usingthe word ''probe'' for Bharat Ratna awardees.

The leader of opposition in the Maharashtra assemblysaid it seems necessary to probe the ''mental state'' of thosewho demanded the investigation and those who ordered it.

''Has this MVA Govt lost all its senses? MVA shouldfeel ashamed while using the word 'probe' for BharatRatnas!Actually, now it seems necessary to probe the mental state &stability of the ones who made such demand & of people whoordered probe against our BharatRatnas!'' Fadnavis tweeted.

In an apparent swipe at the Shiv Sena, which heads theMVA government, Fadnavis, a former chief minister, asked,''Where is your Marathi Pride now? Where is your MaharashtraDharma? We will never find such 'ratnas' (gems) in entireNation who order probe against BharatRatnas who always standstrong in one voice for our Nation!'' Hitting back at Fadnavis, Maharashtra Congressspokesperson Sawant accused the BJP of deliberatelytrying to twist the issue.

Sawant said the Congress demanded the ''probe of theBJP (connection to the tweets)'', and not of celebrities.

''Why BJP is keeping mum on why tweets of Akshay Kumarand Saina Nehwal are matching with each other? Why (Bollywoodactor) Suniel Shetty tags his tweet to a BJP office-bearer?Why BJP is scared of probe?'' Sawant tweeted.

Sawant questioned why the contents of most of thetweets are identical and have the same word ''amicable''mentioned in them.

The Maharashtra Congress spokesperson claimed there isa ''great possibility'' that some celebrities were ''arm-twisted''by the BJP into issuing the tweets rallying around the Centralgovernment.

''Those need to be given protection. Those who haveopined on their own their opinion must be respected,'' Sawantadded.

''....it is the duty of MVA govt to provide atmospherewhere every individual can exercise their right of freedom ofspeech without any pressure. Even if pressure is from Modigovt,'' Sawant added.