India / Twitter labels Sambit's 'Cong toolkit' tweet as 'manipulated media'

New Delhi: In one of the first instances of labelling in India, Twitter has marked BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra’s ‘Congress Toolkit’ tweet, in which he alleged that the document was prepared to malign the image of the Modi government, as manipulated media.

The alleged toolkit document has given the BJP another opportunity to fire salvos at the Congress, which has continuously been targeting the Modi government for its COVID-19 mishandling. While Congress has termed the document fake, Patra came up with some more images claiming that it was prepared by none other than the Congress party’s research department.

In his tweet which is now labelled as ‘manipulated media’, Sambit Patra had shared the alleged ‘Toolkit’ document with #CongressToolKitExposed. “Friends look at the #CongressToolKit in extending help to the needy during the Pandemic! More of a PR exercise with the help of ‘Friendly Journalists’ & ‘Influencers’ than a soulful endeavour. Read for yourselves the agenda of the Congress,” he said in the tweet.

Twitter’s rule says it may mark a tweet with media like videos, audio, and images that appears to have been deceptively altered or fabricated.

“You may not deceptively promote synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm. In addition, we may label Tweets containing synthetic and manipulated media to help people understand their authenticity and to provide additional context,” read its guideline.

In a series of tweets posted earlier this week, Patra had shared some toolkit documents about COVID-19 and the Central Vista project.

Denying the claims made by Patra, the Congress has filed FIRs against the BJP and its leaders. The Congress yesterday wrote to Twitter asking it to permanently suspend the accounts of BJP leaders including party chief JP Nadda and Union minister Smriti Irani for allegedly spreading misinformation.

“Our letter to Twitter HQs on the permanent suspension of accounts by BJP leaders – Shri JP Nadda, Shri Sambit Patra, Shri BL Santosh & Smt. Smriti Irani – who knowingly spread misinformation to distract from their own failures,” it said in a tweet sharing the letter.

Terming the documents fake, the grand old party has accused the BJP of stooping to petty levels when the nation is going through its gravest crisis.