Shashi Tharoor sees Modi’s social media quit as 'prelude to banning' it in India
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Give up hatred, not social media accounts."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of going off social media from Sunday has created quite a flutter on social media sites.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the tweet by PM Modi has made people worried as it could be a "prelude to banning" social media in India, NDTV reported.
"The PM's abrupt announcement has led many to worry whether it's a prelude to banning these services throughout the country too. As @narendramodi knows well, social media can also be a force for good & for positive & useful messaging. It doesn't have to be about spreading hate," Mr Tharoor tweeted.
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"This Sunday, thinking of giving up my social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube. Will keep you all posted," PM Modi tweeted yesterday night, leading to a flood of reactions on Twitter. The tweet got over 9,500 comments and over 27,000 "likes" in just 30 minutes.
While thousands of supporters of PM Modi asked him not to log off, his rivals in the opposition and activists took a swipe.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was one of the first to comment and said, "Give up hatred, not social media accounts."
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had a request for the Prime Minister soon after the tweet.
PM Modi, who is a social media celebrity with millions of followers on various platforms, did not elaborate the reason behind his sudden change of mind.
