V-P, RSS leaders’ badges removed, later restored
NEW DELHI: Twitter removed the blue verified badge from the accounts of top RSS leaders, including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, and vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu only to restore it later on Saturday, triggering a sharp reaction from the Sangh and BJP leaders. The badges were restored soon after.
Twitter removed the blue verified badge from the accounts of top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders, including its chief Mohan Bhagwat, and vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu only to restore it later on Saturday evoking a sharp reaction from Sangh and BJP leaders.
RSS joint general secretaries Krishna Gopal and Arun Kumar, former general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, Suresh Soni (former joint general secretary), and Sampark Pramukh Aniruddha Deshpande were among those whose Twitter accounts temporarily lost their verification badges.
It was not immediately clear why the badges of the RSS leaders that certify that an account of public interest is authentic were removed.
Twitter restored Naidu’s badge after an uproar and the company said it was removed as his account was inactive. “Account [of Naidu] inactive since July 2020.
As per our verification policy, Twitter may remove the blue verified badge and verified status if the account becomes inactive. The badge has been restored,” a Twitter spokesperson said.
Naidu’s account with 1.3 million followers was created in August 2013. He last tweeted on July 23, 2020. Many Twitter users pointed out several inactive accounts continue to have the blue tick. The official handle of the vice president of India continued to have the badge.
An RSS functionary said the badges of the organisation’s leaders were removed sometime in March, but no explanation was offered.
“If they claim it was done because the accounts were inactive, then they should have informed us. There has been no communication from their side,” said the functionary, who did not want to be named.
RSS leaders do not use their Twitter handles, but they have handles that have been verified so as to avoid fake accounts. The Sangh’s handle continues to have the badge.