Congress toolkit row shifts to Chhattisgarh with Baghel-Raman Singh war of words

Raman Singh asked CM Baghel to explain why Twitter officials were refusing to join a probe by the Delhi Police into the toolkit tweet if they had the evidence of it being manipulated.

Published on: May 26, 2021, 14:19:12 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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A war of words broke out on Tuesday between Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and former chief minister Raman Singh while the political slugfest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over an alleged toolkit escalated.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel attacked BJP leader and former CM Raman Singh over the Congress toolkit case. (PTI)

The latest round between the two parties on the issue started with CM Bhupesh Baghel pointing out that Twitter on Tuesday marked senior BJP leader Raman Singh’s tweet on the alleged Congress toolkit as “manipulated” media- a tag used by the microblogging site to describe posts that have been altered to distort facts.

It all began last week, when Twitter tagged BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra’s tweet, which had an image-- purportedly showing an official Congress party document carrying a detailed strategy on how to criticise the government and the PM in public-- as “manipulated” media after several fact-checking websites highlighted design and typographical anomalies, suggesting it was doctored.

Patra’s tweet was, however, re-tweeted by several BJP leaders and ministers who claimed it exposed the Congress bid to defame PM Narendra Modi and promote a biased narrative over Covid-19 management and the Central Vista project. Central Congress leaders later urged Twitter to also mark 11 such tweets by BJP ministers as manipulative media citing the microblogging site’s policy to deal with such content.

“Twitter tagged the alleged toolkit shared by Dr Raman Singh... as manipulated media. Truth never fears. The [Rashtriya Swayamsevak] Sangh’s lessons of repeating a lie a thousand times and it becomes the truth won’t work anymore,” Baghel tweeted.

Raman Singh, in his reply, asked Baghel to explain why Twitter officials were refusing to join a probe by the Delhi Police into the toolkit tweet if they had the evidence of it being manipulated. Delhi Police had asked Twitter officials in India to share the evidence of the tweet being manipulated. Delhi Police said it launched the probe on the basis of complaints by two Congress leaders- Rajeev Gowda, who heads the party’s research department, and Rohan Gupta, the party’s social media head. They were also asked to join the investigations but refused.

“After getting notice, all the concerned twitter officials are not traceable. Can Rahul Gandhi and Bhupesh Baghel tell [us] about them,” Singh tweeted in Hindi.

A chapter of the political war over the toolkit is also being played out in Chhattisgarh since the state police launched a parallel probe into the controversy following a complaint by Congress students’ union wing or the NSUI. The FIR against Raman Singh, Sambit Patra and others was filed on May 19 at the Civil Lines station in Raipur, alleging they were spreading fake news and “promoting enmity between classes” by tweeting about a “doctored” toolkit. On Monday, Chhattisgarh police recorded Raman Singh’s statement in the case. The original complainants in the case, Gowda and Gupta, have also indicated that they will join the probe by the Chhattisgarh Police.

Following the developments Raman Singh alleged that the Chhattisgarh Police were being dictated by the Congress party and not the law.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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