Uttarakhand CM Warns against ‘Objectionable’ Posts, Meets Gen Rawat’s Daughters

Action will be taken against anyone making objectionable comments about any late defence personnel on social media or otherwise, chief minister Pushkar Dhami said. 

New Delhi: After Kritika and Tarini Rawat, the daughters of General Bipin Rawat and Madhulika Rawat, immersed the ashes of the parents in the Ganga in Haridwar on Saturday, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met them at the VIP Ghat in Haridwar.

Speaking about General Rawat, who was from Uttarakhand, the chief minister said Gen Rawat had a strong connection with his home state. “He always thought about Uttarakhand’s development. He will stay in our memory and we will try to take his vision forward. He was a brave soldier who dedicated his life to the nation,” the chief minister said.

Dhami also issued a warning against offensive social media posts about any late defence personnel, including General Bipin Rawat. “Respect for our soldiers is topmost for us. Late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat will always be Uttarakhand’s pride. If any miscreant makes any objectionable comment about any late defence personnel on social media or otherwise, our government will take stringent legal action against them.”

On Friday, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai issued a similar warning and said he has already instructed the state police to take action against people making offensive comments about the chopper crash.  

“Offensive tweets and social media posts about the tragic chopper crash in which we lost our CDS General Bipin Rawat will not be tolerated. I strongly condemn all such messages and have instructed our police officials to take strict disciplinary legal action against the offenders,” Bommai tweeted.

As the nation bade farewell to its heroes who lost their lives in the tragic chopper crash, social media has been abrasive and vile to the tragedy. Brigadier LS Lidder’s daughter Aashna Lidder was reportedly trolled on social media and deactivated her Twitter account on Friday. Reacting to smiley emojis posed on news reports related to CDS’ death, Malayali filmmaker Ali Akbar has renounced Islam.