MASSIVE: 'Fit for registration of criminal case for attempt to destabilise the nation': Top government officer takes note as Twitter placard controversy grows bigger

A day after a picture of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey holding a placard that read 'Smash Brahminical Patriarchy' triggered significant outrage online, a top officer in the government of India has written directly to Dorsey, spelling out the destructive potential of his action.

Taking to Twitter, Sandeep Mittal IPS, who is Joint Secretary (security) in the Parliament of India, has asked Jack Dorsey if he realises that the "picture has the potential of causing communal riots at a time when several states are going to Assembly elections".

READ | As An Indian I Am Disappointed At Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey's 'Smash Brahminical Patriarchy' Placard, writes Chitra Subramaniam

Mittal, whose website also states that he holds a postgraduate degree in Cyber Defence and Information Assurance from Cranfield University, UK, points out that even now, no apology has been offered. He concludes that the matter is "a fit case for registration of a criminal case for attempt to destabilise the nation."

In his Tweet, the Parliament Joint Secretary has also tagged Jack Dorsey, Twitter India, Twitter legal lead Vijaya Gadde, and Anna Vetticad who had initially tweeted out the photo.

READ | Hate Posters, Promoting Hate By Twitter Is Not Acceptable, writes Mohandas Pai

His response is to Anna Vetticad's tweet:

The controversy over the placard comes at a time when the Twitter CEO is on his first visit to India. On Tuesday he had attended a round-table with women journalists, activists and writers, where the topic of discussion was 'the Twitter experience in India'. It is at the end of this round-table that he was photographed holding the 'Smash Brahminical Patriarchy' placard.

READ | "Can Twitter Be A Socially Neutral Platform?", asks Ratan Sharda

Following the photo causing waves online on account of the head of a major public media platform effectively demonising a particular community, Twitter India issued a statement where no apology was given.

The statement was also deemed unacceptable by a number of influential personalities.

At the time of publishing, neither the official Twitter handle nor Jack Dorsey has issued their own statements.

READ | Jack, Don't Put People In A Box