Social media platform Twitter Friday (December 17) restricted the account of Journalist Aarti Tikoo. Her account was restricted for posting a tweet which described how her brother, Sahil Tikoo, in Kashmir was threatened by Islamists and is facing a danger to his life.
Twitter informed her that her account has been restricted for 12 hours as the particular tweet violated Twitter rules.
She had posted “My brother @TikooSahil_ who lives in Srinagar, is being openly threatened by jihadi terrorists sitting in Kashmir-India, their handlers in Pakistan, UK, US. Is anyone watching? Are we sitting ducks waiting to be shot dead by Islamists or will you crackdown on them? @HMOIndia.”
Aarti Tikoo is herself a victim of Islamic terrorism. She was forced to leave the Valley, with lakhs of other Kashmiri Hindus, by Islamic terrorists. Twitter marked it hateful conduct. It remains inexplicable how flagging threat to one’s life is hateful.
The news of restriction of Tikoo’s account created a social media storm.
Scientist and political commentator Anand Ranganathan commented “This is unacceptable and OUTRAGEOUS. @Twitter has indefinitely blocked journalist @AartiTikoo for this tweet, where she is looking out for her brother @TikooSahil_ whose life is being threatened by terrorists. Twitter are you mad? Unblock Aarti. RIGHT NOW.”
Many others joined the protest.
Manu Khajuria posted “How do you justify this @Twitter. Those threatening do so with impunity & @AartiTikoo who flagged the threats is violating your rules?”
Former security and intelligence official Vikram Sood said it was incomprehensible how seeking help for brother violates Twitter rules. He posted “I totally agree with @ARanganathan72. This is totally unacceptable. It is an appeal from a sister seeking protection for her brother. In no way does @AartiTikoo promote violence.”
Security analyst Abhijit Iyer-Mitra said the restricting of Aarti Tikoo’s account was certainly not a case of algorithm malfunction. He posted “So @Twitter has blocked my friend @AartiTikoo for raising the alarm about death threats against her brother. Clearly @TwitterIndia & @paraga are in cahoots with Jihadists & terrorists. @AmitShah @NIA_India need to look into this – this isn’t a mere algorithm malfunction.”
He alleged the newly appointed Twitter CEO Parag Agarwal was in cahoots with jihadists and terrorists.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said Twitter was not able to differentiate between terrorists and a victim of terrorism. He posted “@TwitterIndia has blocked @AartiTikoo ‘s account just because she raised her voice against terrorists who are threatening her brother @TikooSahil_ in Kashmir. This is insane. There’s a diff between a terrorist & a victim of terrorism. #UnblockAarti.”
This is not the first time when Twitter has flaunted its bias favouring Leftists and Islamists. It has provided platform to the Taliban but has blocked/suspended many handles which raised voice against the atrocities of the Taliban.
