Cong claims Rahul's Twitter account temporarily suspended, Twitter denies; party says it is 'locked'
New Delhi, Aug 7: The Congress on Saturday claimed that Twitter has "temporarily suspended" the account of its former chief Rahul Gandhi, but later said it has been "temporarily locked" after the microblogging platform denied having suspended the account and stated that it continues to be in service.
The action by Twitter came over a controversial post of Gandhi with a picture of him meeting the family of a nine-year-old Dalit girl who died here following an alleged sexual assault. Twitter has deemed that the account violated its rules against posting private information.
According to party sources, some features of Gandhi's account have been temporarily limited, and while he could browse the social media site and send direct messages to his followers, no tweets, retweets, follows, fleets or likes were allowed.
Twitter has communicated that all the features of the account could be restored in 12 hours once the tweet violating its rules is deleted by him, the sources said.
Sources in the party claimed that Gandhi had done nothing wrong and they had the consent of the family of the girl for posting the photograph.
"Shri @RahulGandhi's Twitter account has been temporarily suspended & due process is being followed for its restoration," the Congress tweeted from its official Twitter handle.
"Until then, he will stay connected with you all through his other SM platforms & continue to raise his voice for our people & fight for their cause. Jai Hind!" the party said.
Responding to queries about the Congress' claim, Twitter said it can confirm that the account has not been suspended and continues to be in service.
When any account is suspended, Twitter removes it from global view, the microblogging platform said.
Tagging its previous tweet, the Congress later tweeted, "The account has been temporarily locked."
Posting a picture of his meeting with the girl's family on Wednesday, Gandhi had tweeted in Hindi: "Parents' tears are saying only one thing -- their daughter, the daughter of this country, deserves justice. And I am with them on this path to justice."
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had asked the Delhi Police and Twitter on Wednesday to take action over Gandhi posting the photo of the girl's family on the microblogging website, saying it violates the Juvenile Justice Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Gandhi met the girl's family members on Wednesday and asserted that he is with them on the path to justice and "will not back down even an inch".
Shri @RahulGandhi’s Twitter account has been temporarily suspended & due process is being followed for its restoration.
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 7, 2021
Until then, he will stay connected with you all through his other SM platforms & continue to raise his voice for our people & fight for their cause. Jai Hind!
The account has been temporarily locked. https://t.co/MYqpC8OeIb
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 7, 2021
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
