Kolkata: Former MP and CPI(M) leader, Mohammed Salim alleged Tuesday that the NDA government is not open to criticism. Mohammed Salim also alleged that his Twitter account was suspended Monday for a substantial period. The CPI(M) leader said it was done after he compared the Union Budget with a trading platform. He had also slammed the Centre over its handling of the farmers stir. Salim told reporters that his account as well those of others were suspended temporarily, ‘at the behest of the IT department of the Centre’.
Twitter had blocked several accounts and tweets. This happened after the government asked the microblogging platform to take action against 250 handles and posts. These contained ‘false and provocative content’ related to the ongoing farmers’ agitation, according to sources.
“To my knowledge, 250 Twitter accounts, including mine, were blocked in India. Accounts that shared posts with the ‘farmergenocide’ hashtag were targeted,” Salim said Tuesday. “The posts were, however, visible everywhere outside India. This government does not want our voices to be heard by the people of India. They are scared of the agitating farmers,” the CPI(M) leader added.
Salim further said that he compared the Union Budget with an online trading platform on social media. He did it as several PSUs have been put up on sale.
“It seems that the BJP government at the Centre is putting up everything on sale gradually. However, it is not willing to hear the voice of criticism. Despite serious effort to fudge figures, the Centre could not hide the current unemployment rate, which is the highest at 9.1 per cent,” informed Salim.
He also pointed out that the ‘Modi-Shah regime is marked by a distinct streak of authoritarianism’. It always tries to suppress voices that oppose its policies.
“This BJP government is not in favour of the farmers. They are in favour of profiteers who would buy the produce from the crop growers at a premium. This government had hatched a conspiracy to defame the agitating farmers. It is trying to create a rift among farmers. But they will stay united,” the senior CPI(M) leader asserted.