NEW DELHI: Former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra, who recently joined the BJP, on Monday drew flak on social media over a controversial tweet which the RJD alleged was stoking communal hatred, but he maintained that he was trying to raise awareness on the need for population control.
The tweet was later taken down by Twitter for violating its guidelines.
"If you want pollution to come down, then you should reduce these firecrackers and not the ones burst on Diwali," Mishra tweeted tagging a photograph of an elderly man with a skull cap and several children along with women in burqa, waiting in a queue.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) hit out at Mishra, accusing him of comparing "Muslim children to pollution" for his "petty politics" and stoking acrimony in society.
Mishra, a former AAP MLA who was disqualified as member of the Delhi's Legislative Assembly, hit back saying he had only posted pictures of children but "they are seeing them as Muslims".
"There is no mention of Hindu or Muslim in my tweet.
"If the picture would have been of a Hindu family, would they have reacted in the same manner," he tweeted.
One of the social media users, who lashed out at Mishra, said: "one should not stoop down to such a level just for a ticket that it is event difficult to get up".
There was also a hashtag in support of Mishra which was trending for some time.
Mishra, however, said he is only advocating population control but is being abused and threatened on phone and social media for his tweet.
"There is so much fear after one tweet. What will these people do when the population control law comes in place, " he tweeted referring to criticism on social media.