As the country engaged in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polling on Saturday, a social media clash erupted between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Pakistani politician Chaudhry Fawad Hussain over remarks about India’s general elections.
The altercation began when Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a former Pakistani minister, responded to a post by Kejriwal on the social media platform X. Kejriwal had shared a photo of himself voting with his family, alongside a message encouraging people to vote against “dictatorship, unemployment, and inflation.” Hussain replied to Kejriwal’s post with, “May peace and harmony defeat forces of hate and extremism.”
Kejriwal, clearly unimpressed by the unsolicited comment, retorted in Hindi, “Chaudhary Sahib, I and the people of my country are fully capable of handling our issues. Your tweet is not needed. The situation in Pakistan is very bad right now. You take care of your country.” He further emphasized that the Indian elections are an internal matter, adding, “India will not tolerate interference from the biggest sponsors of terrorism.”
चौधरी साहिब, मैं और मेरे देश के लोग अपने मसलों को संभालने में पूरी तरह सक्षम हैं। आपके ट्वीट की ज़रूरत नहीं है। इस वक़्त पाकिस्तान के हालात बहुत ख़राब हैं। आप अपने देश को सँभालिये https://t.co/P4Li3y2gDQ
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 25, 2024
Kejriwal’s initial post featured a picture of his family, noting, “I voted today with my father, wife, and children. My mother is very ill. She could not go. I voted against dictatorship, unemployment, and inflation. You too must go and vote.”
The incident drew reactions from various quarters, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Taking a swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, the BJP posted, “Big news for Delhiites. Appeal to vote for Kejriwal made from Pakistan!” Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva was quick to use the incident to criticize Kejriwal further, asserting, “If the nation’s enemy, Pakistan, too has stepped up to support Kejriwal’s corrupt politics, it proves what we have been saying since day one about his relations with banned and terrorist organizations from whom he accepts funds.”
Sachdeva continued, suggesting that Pakistani support indicated a deeper conspiracy, “It proves that these organizations have a significant role to play in funding his politics. If Pakistan is speaking in his favor…I want to ask: there have been five phases of election so far in the country, but there was no such statement. Today, when there is polling in Delhi, when it is Kejriwal’s election, why is Pakistan interfering today?”
Meanwhile, voters across eight states and Union Territories participated in the penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections. By the conclusion of this phase, 486 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats will have completed polling, leaving only 57 seats for the final phase.
As of 11 am, the country had recorded a voter turnout of 25.76 percent, reflecting a steady engagement from the electorate as the nation nears the end of this extensive electoral process.
Also read: Phase 6 Lok Sabha Elections Voter Turnout Till 1 pm
