On December 8, Ashlin Mathew, editor of the Congress mouthpiece National Herald, posted a tweet saying ‘Divine Intervention’ and later deleted it. The now-deleted tweet was published after the news of the helicopter crash started to make rounds in which CDS Bipin Rawat and 13 others were travelling. Mathew claimed in a tweet that the deleted tweet had nothing to do with the news of the chopper crash, but a campaign has begun to connect the tweet with the incident.
The screenshot of her tweet was making rounds on social media platforms before her follow up tweet. The netizens called out her insensitivity towards the accident. Gita S Kapoor said, “Ashlin Mathew rejoices the CDS helicopter crash. Ashlin is a journalist for National Herald.”
Aditya Narayan said, “National Herald Journalist on Army chopper crash! Now deleted.”
Sameet Thakkar said, “He (sic) is Journalist of National Herald News Paper run by INC India & Gandhi Maino Family.”
Twitter user total_woke_ said, “Ashlin Mathew works directly for Christian Sonia Gandhi and #RahulGandhi owned National Herald. DO NOT FORGET”
Ashlin tried to skip the controversy and said, “A campaign has begun about my tweet. It had nothing to do with the current tragedy. Still, I regret if it has hurt anyone’s sentiments.”
Though her explanation was not bought by the netizens. Twitter user TakeTheJab asked, “If the Tweet has nothing to do with the current tragedy then why have you deleted the Tweet ??”
Tanmay Shankar, Digital Media Consultant, said, “Dude, Its not anyone’s sentiments but entire Country’s sentiment… And the way you have written this casual tweet its shows your regret!”
Twitter user Arundhati Rathi said, “Give as many justifications you want, words once out can never be put back. Those show your true intent.”
Islamists are also rejoicing the news on social media platforms in India and Pakistan.
Now it has been confirmed that Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others have died in the accident. Only one army officer has survived who is being treated.