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PM Modi’s Twitter handle for tours, speeches, updates only; not for complaints, says RTI
When PM Modi’s household chorus is being looked after by the government staff, then his personal Twitter handle should also be looked after by the govt. staff, he argued.
New Delhi: The Office of the Prime Minister of India, in a reply to an RTI , said its official Twitter handle is not meant for entertaining the complaints or issues raised by the public. The PMO’s primary purpose of being on social media is to Tweet about his travels, speeches, and updates from Ministries, it said.
Interestingly, the claims of the PM regarding transparency were failed by his own office again. First, the activist was not given any reply. After the first appeal, the Office took 150 days to answer basic queries that could have been answered within 10 days, said the activist.
The activist suggested the Office was reluctant in revealing the details. This information received by the RTI activist Dev Ashish Bhattacharya as reply to his queries related to the official (@pmo) and personal (@narendramodi) Twitter handles of the PM Narendra Modi opposes the flagship Digital India campaign launched by the NDA government.
Scroll Down to Read the Copies of Original RTI, Appeal, Orders and Reply
Despite very regular activity on both the Twitter handles, the PMO said it does not have any designated staff to look after them.
The activist has questioned the functioning of the handle after several of his Tweets, in which the official as well as personal handles of the PM were tagged, were not attended. The activist argued that while he received a positive response from the Twitter handles of other cabinet ministers about the grievances and issues raised by him, the PMO did not even bothered to respond to them.
The dream of digital India of the PM Narendra Modi is being demolished in his own office,
said the activist.
I used to take in loop the official and personal handles of the PM in my Tweets relating to various administrative lapses since long because I had a nice experience with respect to the Twitter handles of Suresh Prabhu (@sureshprabhu) and Sushma Swaraj (@sushmaswaraj). Everytime I looped in them for any query the response came at once,
the activist added.
Disappointed by the indifference shown by the PMO towards his Tweets, the activist sought information from the Chief Public Information Officer (CPIO) regarding the operation of the handles through an RTI application on May 03, 2017.
The activist sought the following information:
- Who monitor the Twitter handle of PMO India and Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)?
- How many Tweets were received by the PMO and personal handle of the PM Modi from Dev Ashish Bhattacharya (@rtidab) during last 15 days?
- What action was taken on these Tweets from his Twitter handle @rtidab?
On June 7, the activist said, the CPIO of the PMO sent an interim reply stating that his RTI application was being processed by the PMO and the information shall be sent to him as soon as possible.
He waited till the end of July for a response that did not arrive. Then he filed the First Appeal on August 24 to the First Appellate Authority.
On his appeal, the First Appellate Authority of the PMO on August 10 directed the CPIO to release the information within 15 days.
I received the sought information on 13 October 2017 – after 150 days against the stipulated period of 30 days,
he said.
The information provided by the PMO said that the personal Twitter handle of the PM is not maintained by the PMO or Govt. of India.
The reply further said there is no designated officer to handle the PMO’s social media presence.
The PMO primarily uses the official Twitter handle to disseminate news on PM’s travels, speeches and various updates received from various Ministries/Departments only, and that no complaints etc. are entertained on the official handle, said the Office in the reply.
The PMO further said that only the concerned officer dealing with the subject provides the inputs. For complaints, the Office said there are separate online portals to submit complaints/grievances.
The activist argues that if there is no designated officer in the PM Office to handle the official Twitter account, then who updates or posts the inputs received from various Ministries and Departments.
When the Twitter accounts of other Ministers are responsive on various issues raised by the citizens, then why the Twitter account of the PMO is non-responsive, asks the activist.
Modi is the full time PM of India, and his personal Twitter handle cannot be an isolated private entity. When his household chorus is being looked after by the government staff, then his personal Twitter handle should also be looked after by the govt. staff, he argued.
Further, the activist said the CPIO gave a simple response to his RTI queries, which should not have taken more than 10 days. He questions such unusual delay in responding to the RTI.
The activist concluded that this delay might have resulted due to time taken to manipulate facts.
However, in totality, the information provided by the CPIO of the PMO after 150 days seems to be a cover up, and it seems that the PM Modi does not know about this matter, said Bhattacharya.
The activist expressed doubts that the relevant issues and complaints are deliberately ignored by the PMO on social media.
The PMO is, it seems, knowingly creating a one way conversation through the personal and official Twitter handles of the PM in order to remain out of touch from the sentiments of the citizens of India,
said the activist.
Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.
Quick Thinking Saved His Life
Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.
The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence
One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.
Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.
Week of August 8–14
Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
Week of August 15–21
Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.
Outlook for Late August
Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.
Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –Himachal Pradesh continues to deal with the impacts of the 2025 monsoon season, reporting extensive property damage, loss of lives, and widespread disruptions across the state. According to the official reports from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the Department of Revenue, and the India Meteorological Department, from June 20 to August 6, 2025, heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage across multiple districts:
- Casualties: 199 deaths due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, lightning, electrocution, and accidents; 304 injuries reported.
- Property Loss: Extensive damage to houses (both pucca and kaccha), shops, factories, labor sheds, animal shelters, and substantial crop losses in agriculture and horticulture.
- Public Infrastructure: Over ₹1,900 crore in damages to roads (including PWD), power supply, health, education, fisheries, rural and urban development, and animal husbandry.
Most affected districts include Mandi, Kangra, and Hamirpur, with severe crop and infrastructure losses.
Additionally, 91 deaths occurred due to monsoon-related road accidents.
Public Utilities and Infrastructure Disruptions
The SEOC report dated August 7, 2025, highlights ongoing disruptions:
- Roads Blocked: About 493 major roads and 3 national highways (NH-305, NH-21, NH-05) remain blocked by landslides and floods.
- Power Supply: Disruption of 1,120 distribution transformers (DTRs).
- Water Supply: 245 water schemes affected, threatening access to potable water for communities.
Key blockages include NH-21 between Mandi and Kullu and NH-305 near Banjar and Jhed.
Weather Forecast and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department’s forecast valid from August 7, 2025, includes:
- Isolated heavy rainfall expected throughout the week.
- Thunderstorms and lightning predicted in isolated areas.
- Minimum temperatures near normal or slightly below.
- Maximum temperatures showing a moderate increase.
The public is urged to remain vigilant due to the risks of further landslides and flash floods.
Himachal Pradesh remains vulnerable as the monsoon season continues, with thousands affected by damage, displacement, and disruption of essential services. Authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery operations and are urging residents to stay alert to the ongoing adverse weather. This situation highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and disaster management strategies to mitigate monsoon-related risks.
Himachal’s LPG Supply Hit Amid Global Tensions, Likely to Affect Hospitality Industry
Himachal Teen Survives 12-Minute Leopard Attack, Kills Predator in Self-Defense
Weather Forecast for Himachal Pradesh For the Next Two Weeks
Monsoon 2025: Himachal Pradesh Suffers 199 Casualties, Over ₹1,905.50 Cr in Damages
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