BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra with PM Narendra Modi. Picture/Twitter Sambit Patra
A heartbreaking photo of a three-year-old boy sitting beside the dead body of his grandfather went viral on social media on Wednesday. The child's grandfather was killed in front of him in a cross-fire between terrorists and army men in Sopore in North Kashmir. The boy was rescued by the army and police personnel. BJP leader and spokesperson Sambit Patra on Thursday took to Twitter and shared the picture with the caption, "Pulitzer lovers?"
From the tweet, it appears that the BJP leader was hitting out at Indian Pulitzer prize-winning journalists Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan, and Channi Anand, who won the award for their feature photography from Kashmir.
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However, Patra's post led to controversy with many slamming him for his insensitivity, while few supported his actions.
If a single tweet could capture the utter moral destitution that Modi has wrought in India, this is it. Here is his party spokesman glorying in the sight of a little boy with the body of his dead grandfather, killed in crossfire in Kashmir. https://t.co/pzurkOipud
— Aatish Taseer (@AatishTaseer) July 1, 2020
Since being shared, the viral tweet has got nearly 50,000 likes and over 17,000 retweets. However, hundreds of netizens including politicians, journalists, and Bollywood celebrities slammed Patra for mocking the death of the person.
Commenting on Patra's tweet, author and journalist Sagarika Ghose said, "Intense human suffering and a grieving child, not the moment for nasty politics".
Demanding action against the BJP leader, Bollywood singer Vishal Dadlani wrote, "Also, can all right-thinking people with a sense of decency and empathy, please report his account?"
Here are some of the reactions to Patra's tweet:
Can @TwitterIndia and @Twitter take cognisance of the sensitive material in the attached tweet and the hateful reason for this post, and take action against this man?
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) July 1, 2020
Also, can all right-thinking people with a sense of decency and empathy, please report his account? Thanks. https://t.co/MaXmF1SnDB
This man who is supposed to be a spokesperson for the ruling party but is nothing but a troll and chronic abuser must be reported. https://t.co/cdc3FIwvt7
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) July 1, 2020
Do you not have an iota of empathy left in you?? https://t.co/PJYT4uZZbj
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) July 1, 2020
What an outrageous comment. This attitude is one of the reasons we're no where near peace in Kashmir.
— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) July 1, 2020
Why a similar photo won the Pulitzer award & you guys cheered him?
— हिनà¥ÂÂu00c2u008dदà¥ÂÂu00c2u0081। निरà¥ÂÂu00c2u008dमाणिà¤ÂÂu00c2u0095 पà¥ÂÂu00c2u008dररà¤ÂÂu00c2u009aयितà¥ÂÂu00c2u0083 ðÂÂu00c2u009fÂÂu00c2u0087®ðÂÂu00c2u009fÂÂu00c2u0087³ (@arunrao64str) July 1, 2020
These pics won the Pulitzer award!! pic.twitter.com/jmJp8JciSE
— Vivek. (@vivekt1801) July 1, 2020
Inhuman
— Onir (@IamOnir) July 1, 2020
You will be the one who will clap if this picture won Pulitzer prize!!@deespeak pic.twitter.com/qBigeqoqxa
— Kaafir (@Sarthak48656506) July 1, 2020
Yaa but sambit patra has one point extra when u ppl shared that dead syrian boy n George Floyd photos.. Tab humanity kahan gayi thi?
— Jai Ganesh (@1sanghamitra) July 1, 2020
सवा लाà¤u00c2u0096 सà¥u00c2u0087 à¤u00c2u008fà¤u00c2u0095 à¤à¤¿à¤¡à¤¾ दà¥u00c2u0082à¤u00c2u0081 !:) @sambitswaraj
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) July 1, 2020
While many believed that the BJP leader crossed the line, others came out in his support and raised pertinent questions about the death of the Syrian boy and the killing of George Floyd. While Sambit Patra responded to those who slammed him for sharing the picture, the BJP leader also shared another tweet where he sought refuge in late actor Rishi Kapoor's friendship.
I have taken on the Diyas & the Dadlanis today ..but in the same Bollywood I miss my friend @chintskap ..had he been around He would have stood with me ..He always had ...wherever you are RISHI my ðu00c2u009fu00c2u0099u00c2u008fðu00c2u009fu00c2u0099u00c2u008f to you ..Miss you ..I know tonight you would surely have called me!!
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) July 1, 2020
You nailed it, Sambit!For years pics from Gaza/Syria are peddled as anti-India propaganda by Pak lobbyists. Preachers of ‘Humanism’ should be haunted by the visual of this child every time they justify terrorism.I stand with the Truth. I stand with our Forces. ðu00c2u009fu00c2u0087®ðu00c2u009fu00c2u0087³ https://t.co/cwOPenrjbE
— Shazia Ilmi (@shaziailmi) July 2, 2020
Even actor Anupam Kher and politician Shazia Ilmi supported Patra's stance. Later, in an interview on national television, Patra said that he believes in the Indian Army.
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