Sushma asks twitterati to 'reply' to Manish Tewari on Indian priest

A tweet by Congress leader Manish Tewari on Tuesday asking why the BJP government "did nothing" about the alleged crucifixion of an Indian Catholic priest by Islamic State jihadists in Yemen attracted a lot of censure on the social media platform, with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj asking twitterati to "reply" to Tewari.

Tewari tweeted: "So ISIS allegedly crucified Father Thomas Uzhunnali & BJP Govt did nothing. Why because he was a Christian? Mr PM he was also a fellow Indian."

Sushma Swaraj, who has been active on twitter in reaching out to Indians abroad in need of help, tweeted: "Friends - I have liked some tweets. Please see them and judge for yourself. Then reply to @ManishTewari."

A Catholic priest on Tuesday said there is no confirmation yet about the "crucifixion" of the Indian priest, Father Thomas Uzhunnallil.

However, Tewari's tweet attracted a lot of flak.

One twitterati asked: "What has the BJP got to do with this? And if your memory still works, remember how you people let Sarabjeet (Singh) die in Pakistan."

Another reasoned: "That's ok..He's clutching at straws ....Very few straws left...Even he knows it's a ridiculous thing to say."

Another twitterati remarked sarcastically: "Please tell the entire nation what the Congress would have done to save the Father? So that India & also the world can follow your strategy."

Social media and media houses have disseminated news on the alleged crucifixion of Uzhunnallil by IS terrorists on Good Friday, March 25, after they abducted him from a home for the elderly in Aden, Yemen.

The Indian priest was kidnapped on March 4 after IS terrorists barged into the care home for the elderly set up by Mother Teresa in Aden in 1992, and shot dead many people, including four nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, one of them from India.

The external affairs ministry has said there is no confirmation of the news of the alleged crucifixion.