Twitter removes BJP Gujarat unit's cartoon on Ahmedabad blasts case verdict

A cartoon published by the Gujarat wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in response to last week's Ahmedabad bombings judgement sparked a tremendous backlash, prompting Twitter to ban the post. The post came in response to a court decision in which 38 prisoners in the 2008 Ahmedabad bombings case were sentenced to death, while 11 others were sentenced to life in jail.

"Twitter withdrew the message on the 2008 serial bombings verdict after someone complained," Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave said, according to news agency PTI. 

Men wearing skull caps were dangling from a rope in the animation. It was a tricoloured flag with a depiction of a bomb blast in the backdrop, and it said "Satyamev Jayate" in the upper right corner and "No forgiveness to those who promote terror".

A day following the court decision, the caricature was shared on the Gujarat BJP's official Twitter account. In 2008, a series of bombs in Gujarat's city of Ahmedabad killed 56 people and wounded at least 200 more. The cartoon is no longer available on BJP Gujarat's Facebook, Instagram, or other social media sites.

The BJP's leadership applauded the ruling. Addressing a rally in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, PM Narendra Modi lambasted the opposition and said that some political groups sympathised with those responsible for the 2008 Ahmedabad explosions.

Under the norms of UAPA and IPC 302, a special court convened for the expedited trial of the 2008 serial bombings in Ahmedabad on Friday sentenced 38 of the 49 convicts to death. The remaining 11 were sentenced to life in prison without the chance of release. While delivering the judgement, Special Judge AR Patel awarded Rs 1 lakh in compensation to those murdered in the explosions. He also ordered compensation of Rs 50,000 for those who had major injuries and Rs 25,000 for those who sustained minor ailments.

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