The BJP on Tuesday accepted that the tweet by its IT cell chief Amit Malviya on the Karnataka elections was wrong. Malviya had tweeted the dates of Karnataka elections even before the Election Commission’s announcement. He later deleted the tweet, but the damage had already been done.
The BJP, however, clarified that the tweet was based on a television channel report.
“This should not have happened, I agree,” senior BJP leader and Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters after meeting the Election Commission along with senior party leaders.
“We explained to the Election Commission on the confusing tweet on election dates by our IT chief that it was based on a TV channel (report) that reported the news on the basis of a source. There was no intention to hurt the prestige of the Election Commission,” said Naqvi.
He said respect, independence and impartiality of the Election Commission is important to the BJP and there should not be any attempt to undermine the institution.
Stating that the BJP respects the democratic process, Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav, who accompanied Naqvi, said: “Karnataka Congress IT chief Srivatsa also tweeted about the election date before the announcement by the Election Commission and later tweeted a clarification confirming his earlier tweet.”
{{/usCountry}}Stating that the BJP respects the democratic process, Rajya Sabha member Bhupender Yadav, who accompanied Naqvi, said: “Karnataka Congress IT chief Srivatsa also tweeted about the election date before the announcement by the Election Commission and later tweeted a clarification confirming his earlier tweet.”
{{/usCountry}}“Unfortunately, the Congress always tries to make a mountain out of a molehill, whereas it should introspect. The BJP has always respected the country’s constitutional bodies and strengthened them democratically,” said Yadav.