Minorities panel goes to cops over anti-Islam tweets

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on Thursday approached the Delhi Police to identify and register a case against certain people who had posted "insensitive" material against Islam on micro-blogging site Twitter.

In a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, NCM chairperson Wajahat Habibullah named a hash-tag on Twitter and said it was "replete with abuse against Islam and the Muslim community". He asked Kumar to take action against the offenders.

"Action clearly requires to be taken against tweeters whose identities can surely be established by means of tracking their respective IP addresses," Habibullah wrote.

The letter was also marked to the PMO, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Minister of Communications and IT Kapil Sibal and Minister of Minority Affairs Salman Khurshid.

"The tweets are highly insensitive and can have a disastrous impact on law and order situation in the country. We are awaiting response from the authorities now," Habibullah told Newsline.

Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar has said "appropriate action" would be taken if the material is found "objectionable".

"We are looking into the matter. In case we find the material objectionable, we will register a case under our Cyber Crime Cell," Kumar said.

A Delhi-based political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla noticed the controversial tweets on Twitter and lodged a complaint at the Defence Colony police station last Friday.

"I checked the link after I saw it as the fourth most popular tag 'trending' on Twitter that day. Despite the offensive statements, the link has not been taken down by Twitter. Twitter must understand that such material hurt religious sentiments of people," Poonawalla said.

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