Noida DM clarifies after 'Pappu' jibe at Congress leader triggers uproar
Noida DM later clarified that the account was misused by “anti-social elements” and that legal action has been initiated.
A social media post from the official X handle of District Magistrate Gautam Budh Nagar, trolling Congress leader Supriya Shrinate, stirred controversy on Friday, with questions being raised about political bias within the bureaucracy.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate posted a clip from her conversation with historian Ashok Pandey on X, where she remarked: "History is made and cannot be changed. Narendra Modi knows how history will remember him and that is why he is worried."
Also Read | Jaishankar's veiled jibe at Rahul Gandhi: ‘Life is not Khata-Khat’
In response, the official X handle of the District Magistrate Gautam Budh Nagar/Noida replied: "You should think about yourself and your Pappu," a comment widely interpreted as a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Expressing outrage over the reply, Shrinate said: "This is DM Noida, he is responsible for the whole district. His language and thoughts about the country's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi must be seen. It is clear that the administrative staff is full of Sanghis – and now they are sitting on constitutional posts and fuelling hatred."
Also Read | ‘Wahi haal hoga jo dadi ka…’: BJP leader's alleged ‘threat’ to Rahul Gandhi sparks row, Cong demands FIR
Congress leader Pawan Khera also questioned the politicization of the civil service, saying: "Are IAS officers now ordered to make such political comments under BJP rule? @myogiadityanath @HMOIndia."
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi called the DM a "bikau sarkari" (sell-out bureaucrat) and praised Shrinate for “giving them the hell they deserve!”
Also Read | Rahul agrees with government policy on US, Pak and Bangladesh; slams it on China
Noida DM issues clarification
Amid the uproar, the District Magistrate Gautam Budh Nagar issued a clarification, claiming the post was not authored by him and that the handle had been misused.
"Some anti-social element has misused the ID of DM Gautam Budh Nagar and posted a wrong comment. Taking it seriously, legal action is being taken by registering an FIR immediately, and the wrong tweet/comment is being investigated by the cyber cell," read the statement.