Amidst the renewed protests over the historic farm laws and the ongoing spat between actress Kangana Ranaut and Khalistani supporter Diljeet Dosanjh, the Congress party and several corporations such as Zomato and Mobikwik were seen sly tweeting in Punjabi. While netizens were expecting the Congress party to support the singer-turned-actor, Zomato and MobiKwik supporting the online war against Kangana drew sharp reactions from many social media users.
In a tweet on Thursday, the Chattisgarh unit of the Congress party took indirect potshots at actress Kangana Ranaut. The handle tweeted, “Tell us one thing, what is the temperature in Himachal Pradesh.”
Imitating Diljeet Dosanjh, food delivery app Zomato tweeted in Punjabi, “Tell us one thing. What would you eat for dinner tonight?”
Mobile-based payment app, Mobikwik, too did not leave any opportunity in milking the situation. As Diljit’s tweets slandering Kangana Ranaut in punjabi had been hailed and rejoiced by the leftist mob, Mobikwik asked, “What else, have you paid your bills yet?”
While the Congress party, Zomato and Mobikwik can claim that their tweets had nothing to do with Diljit, the timing of the tweets fail to substantiate such a claim. Yesterday, Kangana Ranaut and Diljit Dosanjh had locked horns on social media platform Twitter. The spat had turned ugly with the political leanings of the actors being evident and Diljit getting support and encouragement from the leftist mob. Netizens were quick to call out the Congress party, Zomato and Mobikwik for siding with a Khalistan supporter and threatened to boycott them if they fail to do a course correction in future.
Netizens slam Congress for indulging in cheap online trolling
Slamming the Congress party over its tweet, Twitter user Deepa Sharma wrote, “I can say without any doubt- INC Chhattisgarh is a troll account for sure. Instead of working for people of #chattisgarh or try to uplift the party’s condition on ground in state you are after Kangana Team. What will you get by this? Kis teenager bevkuf ko de rakha hai ye handle? (Which foolish teenager is running this handle?)”
I can say without any doubt- @INCChhattisgarh is a troll account for sure. Instead of working for people of #chattisgarh or try to uplift party’s condition on ground in state you are after @KanganaTeam 🙄
— Dr.Deepa Sharma (@deepadoc) December 4, 2020
What will you get by this?
Kis teenager bevkuf ko de rakha hai ye handle? https://t.co/NZdhztWCmt
Another user, Deepak Joshi, pointed out that the jibe at Kangana Ranaut by Congress party was a reflection of why people have deserted the party. “Reason why INC India keep scoring moral victory after moral victory. When you start trolling normal citizen just because he/she supports your opponent you reduce party to a stupid joke,” he wrote.
Reason why @INCIndia keep scoring moral victory after moral victory. When you start trolling normal citizen just because he/she support your opponent you reduce party to a stupid joke. https://t.co/yaVdBrVzsV
— Deepak Joshi (@Joshideepak3) December 4, 2020
Netizens slam Zomato for supporting Diljit Dosanjh
While mocking Zomato, Twitter user Sunil Teotia wrote, “Donate to Deepinder Goyal (founder of Zomato) so that he can fund Khalistan supporters… employed/ supported by his startup.”
Donate to @deepigoyal so that he can fund Khalistan supporters…employed/supported by his startup @zomato https://t.co/hSqSLs7mqx
— Sunil Teotia (@suneelteotia) December 3, 2020
While answering Zomato’s question, a user wrote, “Ask to Diljit. Tell us Pakistani. What will you have for dinner? Khalistan parantha or Khalistan biriyani.”
Ask to diljit
— Saini MLA (@SainiPolitics) December 3, 2020
Dasso @diljitdosanjh Pakistani..
Aj dinner ch ki khaoge?
Khalistan De Paronthe?
Khalistan Di Biryani?
While uninstalling the food app, another man stated, “Let me tell you – I will get my dinner on my own but won’t allow businesses such as yours to profit even ₹2 from my money.”
Le gal dass li mene aaj se dinner khud lavanga but tussi jese business vala nu 2 rupiya b munnaffa ni kara ge pic.twitter.com/rQaby7eKq2
— JADEJA Dhairya (@jadeja79441612) December 3, 2020
Netizens trash MobiKwik for supporting Khalistanis
While replying to Mobikwik for supporting the Khalistani rhetoric of Diljit Dosanjh, one Twitter user Gareebo wrote, “Just like the fake farmers in the anti-farm law agitation, the handler of the Twitter account is also a fake Punjabi.”
Kishan andolan k fake kishan ki tarah iska handler bhi fake punjabi hai. https://t.co/KVpcSDAemS
— Gareeboo (@GareeboOP) December 4, 2020
Another user, Vivek informed Mobikwik that he had cleared his bills using the rival company, Freecharge. “You keep on appeasing the Khalistanis,” he wrote.
Haan ji on @Freecharge . Tussi karde raho khalistanis nu appease . https://t.co/M8WRWhDbAW
— Vivek Raghuvanshi (@Lohana1983) December 4, 2020
Another user, Curiosweety, tweeted, “Never used Mobikwik after initial first 2 times (much before #Demo) glad I abandoned it….won’t go back again . Yup I am Punjabi but I can see when you try to use identity to peddle your agenda. I won’t be used … and so won’t use”
Never used Mobikwik after initial first 2 times (much before #Demo) glad I abandoned it….won’t go back again 👇
— Curiosweety (@curiosweetie) December 3, 2020
Yup I am Punjabi but I can see when you try to use identity to peddle your agenda. I won’t be used … and so won’t use @MobiKwik https://t.co/5SfHfJWFeM
The war of words between Diljit Dosanjh and Kangana Ranaut
The argument started when Dosanjh shared a video of the elder woman, Mahinder Kaur, who was allegedly misunderstood as one of the protesters from anti-CAA protests. Dosanjh’s tweet irked Kangana. She called him Karan Johar’s pet and said that she posted the tweet about the old lady Bilkis Bano who was part of anti-CAA protests and has now joined Farmers’ protests as well.
Angered by Ranaut’s reply, Dosanjh questioned her if she was a pet of everyone she has worked with. He added if that was true, the list of her owners would be very long. He alleged that Ranaut provoked people by spreading misinformation and play with their emotions. Ranaut called him a ‘chamcha’ and said she is not a pet like him. She said that she only posted about the old lady from the anti-CAA protests, and if anyone can prove otherwise, she will apologise.
Diljit Dosanjh and his support for Khalistan
In June 2020, a demand for an FIR against Diljit Dosanjh was raised after he was seen supporting Gurpatwant Pannu’s and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) demand for Khalistan. Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu had urged Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to order that FIR’s be filed in every police station of the state against singer Diljit Dosanjh and two others.
In a thread of Tweets, Bittu had also condemned the three for supporting the separatist organisation, allegedly funded and aided by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Ravneet Singh Bittu had then referred to a letter written by Sikhs for Justice’s head Gurpatwant Pannu to China stating that they “empathize” with China and “condemn” India for the violent face-off. Dosanjh was also criticised for his association with ISI-backed Rehan Siddiqui.
