'Why did Yamraj wait this long': ex-CBI chief's remark on Swami Agnivesh's demise irks netizens

New Delhi: A day after the demise of social activist Swami Agnivesh, a retired police officer has caused outrage on social media by terming his death as good riddance.

In a scathing attack on Swami Agnivesh, IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who served as the interim director of the Crime Branch of India for a brief period in the year 2019, called the former a “lion in sheep clothes” and added, “My grievance against Yamaraj is why did he wait this long!”.

“GOOD RIDDANCE @swamiagnivesh You were an Anti-Hindu donning saffron clothes. You did enormous damage to Hinduism. I am ashamed that you were born as a Telugu Brahmin. Lion in sheep clothes. My grievance against Yamaraj is why did he wait this long!,” tweeted Rao on Saturday.

Agnivesh, a former Haryana Education Minister was suffering from liver cirrhosis for a long time and died of multi-organ failure at a Delhi hospital on Friday.

Netizens expressed their disbelief at Rao’s tweet and called him out for his insensitivity.

“Very sad to read this tweet by a serving police officer, flaunting such uncivility & communal bias re Swami Agnivesh, a man far taller & better than he will ever be, just after his passing. That he feels he can display his bigotry so brazenly reflects on those who lead the nation,” wrote Social activist and philanthropist Harsh Mander.

Rao comments also earned flak from other IPS officers such as RK Vij who called Rao’s tweet and “sad” and an “insult” to human life.

Condemning the distasteful remark of Rao, the Police Foundation of India, an independent think-tank that serves as a forum for serving and retired police officers said,” Tweeting such hate messages by a retired officer posing as an IPS officer – he has desecrated the police uniform which he wore and embarrassed the government. He demoralises the entire police force in the country, especially the young officers.”

Despite the outrage, a defiant Rao, later posted another tweet stating, “Correction: Read “Wolf” for “Lion” in the above tweet”.