BJP IT cell, influencers involved in influencing celebrity tweets: Maha minister

Mumbai, Feb 16: Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Monday that a preliminary investigation by police has revealed the role of a BJP Information Technology cell head and 12 other influencers in an inquiry related to Indian celebrities tweeting in support of the Centre's handling of the farmers' protests.

Deshmukh also clarified that he had not ordered an inquiry into the tweets of celebrities such as singer Lata Mangeshkar and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

He said that there was no question of investigating Mangeshkar and Tendulkar as they are the pride of Maharashtra and also respected by the people across the country.

"My statement regarding celebrity tweets on the issue of farmers' protest has been twisted," the home minister said.

"I had ordered an inquiry into the BJP's IT cell as it was likely to be involved in the case and not celebrities."

The Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government in Maharashtra had faced flak after it ordered an inquiry into the tweets by Indian celebrities in response to foreign criticism of the government's handling of the farmers' protest.

"It has been revealed that there were some posts by celebrities and at the same time," Deshmukh had said on February 8. "Hence it will be investigated why it has happened."
The inquiry was ordered after leaders of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress sought an investigation into whether the celebrities were under pressure from the BJP to tweet in support of the government.