India
The CPI(ML) polit bureau member tweeted a photo from the Jat Mahapanchayat in Meerut in 2013, claiming it to be from the recent farmer agitation. Even after being caught, she has remained unapologetic and refused to delete the tweet
New Delhi: Amid all the hullabaloo over fake news, CPI(ML) polit bureau member Kavita Krishnan has apparently floated a misinformed tweet in her zeal to target the Narendra Modi government.
This time around, Krishnan tweeted an old photo from the 'Jat Mahapanchayat' in Meerut in 2013 and tried to pass it off as one from the ongoing farmer agitation, called the 'Kisan Kranti Yatra'.
To begin with, at 9.16 PM, Krishnan posted a photo of an elderly man holding a brick in one hand and a stick in the other while being accosted by an armed cop. She also gave a moving caption to the photo: "If you don't think the farmer is a terrorist - and I hope you don't - if you empathise with his anger, I hope you'll think again before you call a Kashmiri kid with a stone in his hand a terrorist."
Look at the farmer with a brick in his hand, facing a cop with a gun.
If you don't think the farmer is a terrorist - and I hope you don't - if you empathise with his anger, I hope you'll think again before you call a Kashmiri kid with a stone in his hand a terrorist. pic.twitter.com/7Omxax3sWj
The far-fetched comparison between a terrorist and a farmer notwithstanding, the five-year-old photo managed to dupe many among her followers on Twitter. Also, the pic was from Meerut, almost 75 kilometres away from the actual theatre of the 'Kisan Kranti Yatra'.
Though many caught her lie immediately, Krishnan did not bother to delete the post for which she was trolled. Quips such as 'you won't apologize for your mistake because the problem with the left mindset that it is hardly right', flew thick and wide.
As criticism mounted, she was forced to accept her mistake, though with an unapologetic tweet. But, the fake tweet remains un-deleted.
I'm informed that this pic below isn't from the Kisan Yatra but from 2013 Jat Mahapanchayat in Meerut.
My point stands however - that the man with a brick in the pic hasn't been demonized as a terrorist and likewise a Kashmiri kid with a stone in his hand shouldn't be either. https://t.co/vDlP8ohlgo
Ironically, she has been at the vanguard of the left-liberal crucifixion of BJP, ABVP, accusing the latter of providing currency to fake news to further political agenda.
ABVP spreading fake news claiming JNU victory, to try & fool DUSU voters. Poor also fell victim to the fake news pic.twitter.com/g9dY12M6Pv
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan)She had also gone after film-maker Vivek Agnihotri on June 19, calling him a ‘fake newsmonger’.
Who exactly are you sir? A fake news monger, failed filmmaker, someone who begins conversations by asking me to shut up, and an opportunist U-turn master to boot. I understand you're desperate to boost your relevance & stature by interviewing me! But... No thanks. Bye
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan)In a Facebook post from April 8 last year, she had played victim of fake news and threatened legal action against those behind it.
However, in a rather bizarre defence, Krishnan told MyNation, "I've already put out a tweet on this. Please find it. a) I never said the tweet was new. b) the point I was making about the pic remains the same - that protesting people taking up stones in various states does not get them branded as terrorists as Kashmiris are branded for doing the same thing."
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.