Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and Union HRD minister Smriti Irani got into a war of words on Twitter on Monday.
This came after the former reportedly received an open threat last week on Twitter of 'rape and murder like Nirbhaya'.
It all started with this tweet, and things soon got out of hand.
When @priyankac19 is trolled, it is an attack on 'dignity of women'but poisonous slander against @smritiirani is acceptable.
— Shefali Vaidya (@ShefVaidya) May 23, 2016
Ms @ShefVaidya a perceived threat to @smritiirani 's life gets Z sec,here I am struggling to get rape/death threat investigated.cut the crap
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016
@priyankac19 I don't have Z security Madam.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016
Madam I don't know the internal workings of Home Ministry, i go as per newspaper reports. I presume no security at all then @smritiirani ?
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016
@priyankac19 why are you so interested in my security? Planning anything?
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016
Not worth my time , so don't worry on that front @smritiirani , you must concentrate on creating another campus ruckus.
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016
@priyankac19 dats more Rahulji's forte. Oh wait, losing Assam is. My bad. Have a good day.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 23, 2016
Repeatedly losing and yet becoming a minister in the cabinet is your forte. You have a glorious day too @smritiirani
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) May 23, 2016
In a blog post for NDTV last week, Priyanka, while talking about the abuse she recieves on Twitter, wrote that "under IPC sections, there is no immediate relief to anyone who faces this abuse, all sections are of bailable nature."
She went on to add:
Let me be very clear that I have no problem with anyone having a different point of view from mine and arguing on Twitter on issues. I follow many people from the intellectual right wing and spokesperson of parties that have a different ideology than mine. Debate is good, debate is healthy and is the essence of any strong democracy. But using abuse, threat and intimidation to try and silence a differing point of view is doing a huge disservice to the entire idea of freedom of speech enshrined in our constitution.