After VP M Venkaiah Naidu, Twitter removes RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s verified badge

National

On Saturday morning (June 5, 2021) Social Media giant Twitter removed the Bluetick from the personal account of India’s Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Which resulted in a major reaction. His verification badge was later restored. On social media platforms, Bluetick is something that informs users that the particular account is verified, authentic and active. Naidu’s last tweet was posted on July 23, 2020. 

Twitter’s spokesperson said that according to twitter’s verification policies if a particular account is being inactive for more than six months, Twitter can remove the verified badge of a particular account handle. Due to this reason, Naidu’s verified badge was removed. After this major backlash, Twitter has restored Naidu’s verification badge before 10:30 am.  

But later after the removal of bluetick from Naidu’s handle, the verified blue tick or blue badge from the account of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has been also removed from Twitter.

And along with Mohan Bhagwat, RSS joint secretaries Krishna Gopal and Arun Kumar, former general secretary Suresh Joshi aka “Bhaiyyaji,” former joint general secretary Suresh Soni, and present Sampark Pramukh Aniruddha Deshpande all have had their blue ticks withdrawn.

This move comes in the wake of Twitter’s unwillingness to meet India’s new IT rules. According to the Central government, if social media platforms organizations do not enact new IT rules, they run the risk of losing their status and protection as intermediaries, as well as facing criminal charges. Also, the Government sources suggest that “Seeing this delaying attitude of Twitter, it was resolved to send a final and firm communication to Twitter asking them to comply immediately with these requirements.”