When Sibal & Azad had to double back & clarify

NEW DELHI: Shortly before 1pm on Monday, while a crucial meeting of the Congress Working Committee was on, Kapil Sibal sent out a tweet that produced shockwaves on social media. Sibal later retracted the post after claiming that Rahul Gandhi had “personally” informed him that he had never accused the former Union minister of collusion with BJP.
Sibal, who has 2.5-million followers, had posted: “Rahul Gandhi says “we are colluding with BJP.“ Succeeded in Rajasthan High Court defending the Congress Party. Defending party in Manipur to bring down BJP Govt. Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue Yet “we are colluding with the BJP“!”
The tweet by Sibal, who wasn’t part of the CWC meet, immediately became the talk of the internet political town. The hashtag, Kapil Sibal, started trending. Sibal’s post was being retweeted with abandon when fellow Congressman Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted a denial. “Sh Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it. Pl don’t be mislead (sic) by false media discourse or misinformation being spread. But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then (sic) fighting & hurting each other & the Congress,” he posted. The Haryana politician’s handle describes him as “Permanent Invitee Member, Congress Working Committee.”

Almost an hour after the original tweet, Sibal made a retraction. He tweeted a second time: “Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him. I therefore withdraw my tweet.”
Senior Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad later tweeted,“...let me make it very clear that Shri Rahul Gandhi has neither in CWC nor outside said that this letter was written at the behest of BJP”.