Quint employee wishes death for ailing BJP chief Amit Shah; netizens boycott website en masse

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) president Amit Shah is suffering from swine flu and was admitted to AIIMS here on Wednesday.

"I have been diagnosed with swine flu for which the treatment is underway. With God's grace and good wishes from all of you, I will recover soon," he said on Twitter in Hindi.

मुझे स्वाइन फ्लू हुआ है, जिसका उपचार चल रहा है। ईश्वर की कृपा, आप सभी के प्रेम और शुभकामनाओं से शीघ्र ही स्वस्थ हो जाऊंगा।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 16, 2019

While many wished the leader a speedy recovery, one woman made an unkind remark and tweeted, “People die of swine flu, right?” with an obvious reference to Shah.

The woman, Stutee Mishra, is the social media head of The Quint, a digital news platform. Soon after Mishra’s tweet, Twitterati lost its calm over her insensitive comments on Shah’s poor health, wishing him ‘death’.

Unable to handle the heat over her obvious mistake, Mishra deleted the tweet and ‘protected’ her account as controversy broke out. 

The Quint’s attempt at an apology was feeble. “An insensitive tweet by Stuti Mishra, an employee of The Quint has been brought to our notice. The Quint strongly condemns any such statement. Due action will be taken. The entire Quint team wishes BJP President, Shri Amit Shah, a speedy recovery,” they tweeted.

An insensitive tweet by Stuti Mishra, an employee of The Quint has been brought to our notice. The Quint strongly condemns any such statement. Due action will be taken. The entire Quint team wishes BJP President, Shri Amit Shah, a speedy recovery.

— The Quint (@TheQuint) January 16, 2019

Many Twitter users and political leaders condemned Mishra’s move. They claimed that even if one does not share the same ideology as another, they should not stoop so low and wish death on them.

She is an employee of Quint.

Yes, yes, the same rag whose another journo and her colleague is out on bail for abetment to suicide of a Jawan. pic.twitter.com/p3otrSYQT5

— Suresh Nakhua 🇮🇳 (@SureshNakhua) January 16, 2019

This is infamous tweet of @StuteeMishra that she deleted. pic.twitter.com/B5FFqpTAkb

— Vijay Chauthaiwale (@vijai63) January 16, 2019

Journalism in India just tanked to new bottom. Because someone is your political or ideological opponent or you don't like him, you will wish his death? Where are we heading? pic.twitter.com/4n5Ybccvv9

— Maheish Girri (@MaheishGirri) January 16, 2019

Social Media Head of @TheQuint - @StuteeMishra wants Amit Shah dead. Later deleted her tweet. @Raghav_Bahl do you have an answer if this is what your media house aspires for? Action? pic.twitter.com/wVZ1mWeEIo

— SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) January 16, 2019

Meanwhile, #BlockQuint is trending on Twitter on Thursday, as netizens posted screenshots of them blocking the news platform.

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According to sources at AIIMS, the BJP leader was admitted following complaints of chest congestion and breathing issues.

He reached the hospital at around 9 pm and is admitted in the old private ward of the hospital.