BJP Deletes Tweet Jibe at Rahul Gandhi That 'Shows Nepal Against India'

The ruling party had attempted to poke fun at the Congress leader, through a cartoon.

Screenshots of a tweet by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently went viral on social media, evoking sharp responses online.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Screenshots of a tweet by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently went viral on social media, evoking sharp responses online.

What's happening: The official Twitter account of the ruling party put out a cartoon that purportedly shows Nepal teaming up with China against India – and then later deleted the tweet.

• The caption, as well as the cartoon, appeared to be a political jibe aimed at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

• A caricature of PM Modi gambling along with representatives of other countries can also be seen.

• The Quint was able to find a cached version of the deleted tweet.

Why it matters: The BJP may have helped avert a possible geopolitical complication by taking down its own tweet. "What is wrong with BJP? Not only does it [the cartoon] make the Prime Minister look like a rowdy gambler but it also portrays Nepal as a partner with China against India," said Congress leader Salman Anees Soz.

• "So BJP’s official twitter account showed the Honourable PM, gambling with Nepal, China, Pakistan and other terror outfits, in a cartoon!" another Twitter user '@rachitseth' wrote.

Between the lines: Earlier this month, an 'Akhand Bharat' mural that had been placed in the newly inaugurated Parliament building irked lawmakers in Nepal.

• The mural allegedly shows parts of Nepal and other neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to be part of 'Akhand Bharat'.

• “If a country like India that sees itself as an ancient and strong country and as a model of democracy puts Nepali territories in its map and hangs the map in Parliament, it cannot be called fair,” Nepal's former PM KP Sharma Oli was quoted as saying in local media reports.

Some perspective: "The volatile political situation [in Nepal] does not bid well for Nepal-India relations. As Nepal is rocked by domestic controversies and unstable politics, it is unlikely that all-out support from India can be expected at this point," Akanshya Shah, a Nepalese journalist and researcher based in New Delhi, had written ahead of Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal or 'Prachanda' visit to India in June.