Ex-CBI chief M Nageswara Rao's 'good riddance' post on Swami Agnivesh's death sparks row; Twitter pulls down tweet

New Delhi: M Nageswara Rao, an ex IPS officer and a former CBI Director, has sparked a controversy over his "good riddance" tweet on the death of Swami Agnivesh who passed away on Friday (September 11, 2020).

The tweet which is no longer available because it violated the Twitter Rules read, "Good riddance @swamiagnivesh. You were an anti-Hindu donning saffron clothes. You did enormous damage to Hinduism. I am ashamed that you were born as a Telugu Brahmin. Lion in sheep clothes. My grievance against Yamaraj is why did he wait this long."

Ever since Rao tweeted this, he has been questioned over his ideology, the posts he held in the past, and how can he celebrate someone's death.

Tweeting such hate messages by a retired officer posing as an IPS officer - he has desecrated the police uniform which he wore and embarrassed the government. He demoralises the entire police force in the country, especially the young officers. https://t.co/qOiI8D6dkO — Indian Police Foundation (@IPF_ORG) September 12, 2020

A historian wrote, "You are a disgrace. Can imagine what all you must have done as a police officer? Abusing the dead may be Hindutva but is certainly not Hinduism. Better late than never. Get yourself treated."
 

You are a disgrace. Can imagine what all you must have done as a police officer? Abusing the dead may be Hindutva but is certainly not Hinduism. Better late than never. Get yourself treated. https://t.co/Shh4zlmduc — S lrfan Habib (@irfhabib) September 12, 2020

Rao who has held his ground since then has been continuously replying to the criticism he's facing.

Earlier in the day, he tweeted, "Bedrock of democracy is FoE which Voltaire aptly said: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” But of late, it is honoured more in breach due to increasing intolerance of dissent, which is the real danger to democracy anywhere."

Bedrock of democracy is FoE which Voltaire aptly said:

“I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

But of late, it is honoured more in breach due to increasing intolerance of dissent, which is the real danger to democracy anywhere. — M. Nageswara Rao IPS (@MNageswarRaoIPS) September 13, 2020

Rao also stated that he doesn't believe in caste and is against casteism which is destroying Hinduism.

"I am a Telugu, Hindu & Indian, all together in no particular sequence," read his tweet.

I don't believe in caste.
I am against casteism which is destroying Hinduism.
I am a Telugu, Hindu & Indian, all together in no particular sequence.

నాకు కులగజ్జి లేదు. కుల
గజ్జి హిందూ మతాన్ని నాశనం చేస్తున్నది. హిందువులంతా ఒకటేనని, ఒకటి ఉండాలని నా ప్రగాఢ నమ్మకం. https://t.co/B1uMl2lz4o — M. Nageswara Rao IPS (@MNageswarRaoIPS) September 13, 2020

Rao while replying to a message which said that his tweet is "in bad taste," wrote, "Why do we celebrate as festivals the days savages were dead? Because they're pests destroying society & their death is a cause for celebration. It was also to warn people not to patronise the bad. Hinduism eschews अपात्र दानं & misplaced sympathy as they destroy both the giver & the sympathizer."

Why do we celebrate as festivals the days savages were dead? Bcoz they're pests destroying society &their death is a cause for celebration.
It was also to warn people not to patronise the bad.

Hinduism eschews अपात्र दानं & misplaced sympathy as they destroy giver & sympathiser. https://t.co/0r7cyyjkiP — M. Nageswara Rao IPS (@MNageswarRaoIPS) September 11, 2020

Twitter is now divided amongst several civil servants, historians, social activists and other netizens over Rao's tweet.