On GoI directions, Twitter withholds Rana Ayyub, Owaisi's tweets on train shooting

Recent tweets by Indian journalist Rana Ayyub and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi on the shootings of three Muslims by a Railway Protection Force constable Chetan Singh have been removed on the demand of the central government.

In a gruesome incident, Singh shot down three Muslims along with RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Tika Ram Meena, in a moving Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express train on Monday.

Singh also asked passengers to record a video in which he can be heard hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath as the body of one of the Muslim men lies at his feet.

Soon the video was widely circulated on social media platforms. While many questioned the impunity with which the constable shout down the Muslims, the tweets by Ayyub and Owaisi were withheld.

Ayyub wrote: “My tweet on the train incident has been withheld in India in response to a demand by the government of India. Twitter has written to me to inform of the same. So much for the mother of democracy.”

In the tweet that has been withheld, Ayyub had written, "Prime Minister Modi, this is the impact of the anti-Muslim hate speech by leaders of your party. An RPF constable shot dead his own senior and three poor Muslims on a train. After shooting them he is heard telling passengers, 'if you wish to stay in India, then just Modi and Yogi'."

She had further written, "This one is also on the blood thirsty news anchors demonising an entire community."

Ayyub also shared a screenshot of the email she received from Twitter that said, "In the interest of transparency, we are writing to inform you that Twitter has received a legal removal demand from the Government of India regarding your Twitter account , @RanaAyyub, that claims the following content violates India's Information Technology Act, 2000."

Meanwhile, Owaisi asked what law did he break by posting the video, on Twitter.

”My tweet about #JaipurExpressTerrorAttack has been withheld in India at the request of the Indian government. What law does it violate? Is it a crime to call a terrorist attack a terrorist attack? I hope the Modi government is proactive in preventing hate crimes against Muslims,” Owaisi asked.

Tweets on the incident posted by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, a fan account of Trinamool Congress Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra and Nimo Yadav, a parody account with over 64,000 followers, have also been removed, reported The Hindu.

According to the newspaper, the Centre has ordered Twitter to take down the video in India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.