NEW DELHI: A day after the JNU
violence
,
Congress distanced itself from a person who was posting messages on a
WhatsApp group allegedly involved in planning the
attack
.
A Google search mentioned the phone number as that of a vendor hired by Congress partyA Google search mentioned the phone number as that of a vendor hired by Congress. But the party tweeted on Monday that Anand
Manganle
was associated with it earlier. “The SM (social media) team of INC had hired the services of several private vendors to run the crowdfunding campaign for a limited period before Lok Sabha polls after which it was discontinued. The number belonged to a vendor and has nothing to do with INC,” Congress said.
Manganle took to Facebook to claim that he had “infiltrated” the WhatsApp group to remain alert about ABVP’s plans and save the
students
. He also requested people not to “harass” Congress for his action.
Manganle, whose Twitter handle was suspended on Monday for rumour mongering and inciting violence, posted a screenshot of his Tweet on Facebook, claiming “this number was used as a test number when I was a vendor who helped them (Congress) to set up the crowdfunding campaign two years ago & YES, I infiltrated that group to get more info so I could pass it to students and save them (sic)”.
He claimed in another post that he had also joined Unity Against Left. “When it went a bit silent, I wrote... ‘Main Gate pe kya karna hai’ to get where people are & what they are planning... & also warn people who were coming outside main gate (sic),” he wrote.
After some more people got themselves added to the group to get info, Manganle said, “they removed all new people... & eventually removed me”. Now, Manganle claimed, his screenshots are being circulated and he is getting “supporting calls... & all abuses, considering I am ABVP.”
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