Delhi Police on Friday, 24 January, lodged an FIR against BJP candidate Kapil Mishra in connection with his controversial tweet in which he likened the election in the city to an India versus Pakistan contest, sources said.

The FIR was filed following directions of the poll authorities, they said.

It was lodged at the Model Town Police Station under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the sources said.

Twitter, meanwhile, ‘removed’ the controversial tweet following the directions of the Election Commission, reported PTI.

Earlier in the day, EC had asked Twitter directly to remove BJP leader Kapil Mishra's tweet, in which he had termed the anti-CAA protest sites in the national capital as “mini-Pakistans.” The Election Commission had reportedly found the tweet ‘objectionable’ and ‘appealing to communal feelings’.

The office of Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer had requested the EC to begin the process for the removal of the tweet, after the latter sought a report from the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer over Mishra’s tweet, to be submitted within 24 hours, ANI reported.

The Delhi CEO Office has also issued a showcause notice to Mishra, PTI reported.

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The Election Commission had stepped in on Friday after the BJP leader’s tweet on Thursday.

In the tweet, Mishra had also said that the upcoming Assembly elections would be a contest "on Delhi roads between India and Pakistan"

Responding to the development on Friday, Mishra said that he had not done anything wrong.

“I received a notice from Election Commission last night, I'll give my reply today. I don't think I said anything wrong. Speaking truth is not a crime in this country. I spoke the truth. I stand by my statement,” the BJP leader said on Friday.

In a series of provocative tweets, the BJP's candidate from Model Town also said Pakistani rioters have taken over the streets of Delhi. No stranger to controversy, Mishra’s tweets were criticised strongly on Twitter.

He made no specific mention of the movement against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, but sharply attacked the protest at Shaheen Bagh and other places in the city.

In one of the tweets in Hindi, Mishra said, "Pakistan has made its entry in Shaheen Bagh. Many mini-Pakistans are being formed in Delhi. Indian law is not being followed in Shaheen Bagh, Chandbagh, Indralok. Pakistan rioters have encroached on the roads of Delhi."

In another tweet, Mishra declared that “there will be a contest on Delhi roads between India and Pakistan on 8 February”.

‘There’s Always Pakistan When You Run Out of Issues’

However, his tweets were met with strong criticism from people on the micro-blogging website.

No Stranger to Controversy

Mishra, who left the Aam Aadmi Party to join the BJP, had been removed as a minister by Arvind Kejriwal in 2017. Last year, he was also disqualified as an AAP MLA under the anti-defection law.

He was also criticised for a tweet with communal overtones during Diwali last year. The post was later taken down by Twitter for violating its guidelines.

He is up against AAP MLA Akhileshpati Tripathi in the upcoming elections, the polling for which would be held on 8 February, with the results scheduled to be declared on 11 February.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)

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