Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua says he blocked a fake twitter account for blatantly spouting homophobia, peddling lies and conspiracy theories.
He also says FijiFirst MP, Ketan Lal’s statement is highly indicative that they are the party behind these fake accounts.
Tikoduadua made the comments after Lal said Tikoduadua is currently going viral on Twitter for blocking a youth who asked why the three uneven legged stool coalition government was victimizing the FijiFirst Leader by using the Fiji Police Force.
Lal says rather than answer or explain to the youth, Tikoduadua blocked her.
He says this suppression of youth voices is not only of the highest level of hypocrisy but demonstrates a Government that does not want to be answerable to Fijians, is not transparent and runs a non-inclusive style of government.
Lal says we could understand if the blocking occurred because the person was being racist or vulgar, however, he claims in this instance it was not the case.
He also says Fijians on Twitter have unearthed an old tweet from Tikoduadua himself, where he pledged never to block a person because all opinions were valued.
However Tikoduadua says the fake account continuously tried to goad him into making comments which he did not. The Home Affairs Minister says it was determined that this account, (which has a computer generated image as a profile picture) is the product of a targeted and specific campaign designed to direct attention away from the Opposition's failure in retaining their Members of Parliament.
Tikoduadua says no such indication that this account is that of a real person could be verified.
He says he welcomes all criticism - even those that do so unjustifiably.
The Minister says he only asks that those that do so, do it with their own profiles and not hiding like cowards behind fake names and pictures.
