In A First, Twitter Flags BJP IT Cell Head, Amit Malviya's Tweet As 'Manipulated Media'

For the first time, Twitter has flagged a tweet by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell chief Amit Malviya on farmers' protest as 'manipulated media.'

On November 28, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to share an image showing security personnel purportedly about to hit a farmer with a baton at the Singhu border, amid the ongoing farmers' agitation.

Posting the photo, the Congress leader wrote, "It is a very sad photo. Our slogan was 'jai jawan jai kisan' but today PM Modi's arrogance made the jawan stand against the farmer. This is very dangerous."

In response to the tweet, BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya uploaded a 'Propaganda vs Reality' video claiming the police "did not even touch the farmer."

Malviya tweeted: "Rahul Gandhi must be the most discredited opposition leader India has seen in a long long time."

However, days after his tweet, Twitter has flagged his social media post as 'manipulated media. As per Twitter policy, the tag is placed if 'the media, or the context in which media are presented, are significantly and deceptively altered or manipulated.

Earlier it was also found that the video shared by Malviya was a cropped version and the original video showed cops standing one after the other and the baton of the other cop touches the leg of the farmer.

Malviya, on November 30, alleged that the ongoing farmers' protests against the centre's newly-passed farm laws have "Khalistani and Maoist" links.

In a tweet with images of a gazette notification of implementation of the farm laws, he accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of seeking an "opportunity to burn down Delhi". "It was never about farmers. Just politics..." he tweeted.

Also Read: 'Protestors Don't Appear To Be Farmers In Pictures', Says Union Minister VK Singh