On Friday (April 30), Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram found himself at the receiving end of social media backlash for urging Indian citizens to resort to a mass uprising against the incumbent Modi government.
In a tweet on Wednesday (April 28), P Chidambaram wrote, “I am appalled by the statement of the Union Health Minister that there is no shortage of oxygen or vaccines or Remedesivir. I am also appalled by the statement of the U.P. Chief Minister that there is no shortage of vaccines in U.P.”
The Congress leader further relied on rhetorics to bolster his claims. “Are all the television channels telecasting fake visuals? Are all the newspaper stories incorrect? Are all the doctors lying? Are all the family members making false statements? Are all the visuals and photographs fake?” he inquired.
In a tweet uncharacteristic of a democratic leader, P Chidambaram gave a call for ‘public rebellion’ and anarchy. “People must revolt against a government that is assuming all the people of India are fools,” he urged the Indian citizens.
Netizens demand immediate arrest of the Congress leader
Although the contentious tweets by the Congress leader were posted two days ago, miffed netizens took to Twitter on Friday to demand his immediate arrest. Popular Twitter user Mahesh, wrote, “This guy must be arrested for sedition. #ArrestPChidambaram.”
https://twitter.com/Mahesh10816/status/1387993994223779842?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwBJP IT Cell Head (Haryana) Arun Yadav tweeted “Chidambaram had posted an anti-India tweet. He has asked the people of India to revolt against the government. I demand his arrest under the National Security Act (NSA).”
https://twitter.com/beingarun28/status/1387959363210383360?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAnother Twitter user (@Mayanksaini2002) emphasised, “Such a small-minded person he is…in such hard time when we are fighting the do or die battle, this bullsh*t personality wants people to revolt ….Has he done something for the people who are in need?? No, politics is above someone’s life for these morons”
https://twitter.com/Mayanksaini2002/status/1388000215655976962?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwTwitter user Ranjeet Jha wrote, “Chidambaram’s anti-national tweet said, All people of India should revolt against the government .. I demand P Chidambaram arrested under the National Security Act.”
https://twitter.com/ranjeet___jha/status/1387969780330631173?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHindu saint Yogi Devnath had also demanded immediate arrest of P Chidambaram for his ‘anti-national tweet’ under the stringent National Security Act.
https://twitter.com/YogiDevnath2/status/1387968403281911812?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwAnother Twitter user wrote, “India Suffering from Pandemic. Here top Congress leader P Chidambaram wants Revolts against Country. How inhuman, cruel P.C. is?” He had also shared a Hindi newspaper cutting of the disturbing tweet made by the Congress leader.
https://twitter.com/1shobhitripathi/status/1388000418626605062?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwP Chidambaram makes a misleading claim about Delhi-NYC flights, creates panic
Earlier, the former Union Minister who was earlier jailed and is facing serious corruption charges, had shared a headline from a Times of India report, without any context, in an attempt to spread misinformation about airfares online. “A Delhi-New York economy class, one-way ticket costs 7.2 lakh”, wrote Chidambaram on Twitter, insinuating that the extraordinary fare of 7.2 lakhs is widespread.
“Is the passenger buying a ticket or is he/she leasing the aircraft?”, added Chidambaram, trying to create a narrative based on an uncommon, extraordinary fare which is not the standard fare even at this moment.