Started in April, the Indian government has an official, verified Twitter account for the Startup India initiative. Dubbed as ‘Twitter Seva’ it is meant to help start-ups get easy access to government and it presently has around 40,000 followers.
Dont sit with questions. Pls give us suggestions. Let us work together – @nsitharaman #startupindia open chat pic.twitter.com/Rl2gX7mgaX
— Startup India (@startupindia) April 16, 2016
But on Wednesday, users noticed something unusual. The account re-tweeted these two tweets targetting ‘presstitutes’ and ‘anti-nationals’.
The tweets have since been deleted, but other users saved the screenshots.
The tweets instantly came under fire for their irrelevance and poor taste.
Retweets by @startupindia – A Government of India Initiative pic.twitter.com/XbMiSW8ZO2
— Joy (@Joydas) July 26, 2016
So @startupindia RTs this drivel. Who is handling the account? pic.twitter.com/ySgpC4KJWu
— Rohini Singh (@Rohinisgh_ET) July 26, 2016
Delhi’s deputy CM Manish Sisodia also attacked the government over this
So this is what @narendramodi ji wants to start in India by @startupindia, A start up of abuses, violence & hate. https://t.co/Phd19E8nEo
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) July 27, 2016
Then Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman jumped to action, with her ministry’s official account posting a series of tweets in explanation. She blamed the blooper on an external agency handling the account and said the culprit has resigned.
1/n- This is with reference to two unwarranted & irrelevant re-tweets done in the midnight by @startupindia handle ……. @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
2/n- Moment it was noticed that @startupindia had done 2 unauthorized retweets. Right then at midnight the retweets were undone @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
3/n- The unauthorized re tweets were done by one employee of the agency duly hired by @DIPPGOI through a tendering process @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
4/n-Person assigned by the agency for this particular job is not decided by the dept & is the sole prerogative of the agency @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
5/n-The usual practice of getting the tweets/retweets approved from the department was not followed in this case. @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
6/n It was completely wrong & unacceptable for the employee to have retweeted on a matter completely unrelated to StartupIndia @nsitharaman
— CIM India@GOI (@CimGOI) July 27, 2016
The minister might have done the required damage control, but given how the derogatory words have been used by those in the government (think General VK Singh), are we really surprised?
