Former CBI Director Nageswara Rao under fire for rejoicing at the death of Swami Agnivesh

Within hours of the death of Swami Agnivesh, former CBI director Nageswara Rao, who was controversially installed in a midnight coup by the PMO, revealed himself as the new Hindutva icon spewing hate

“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.A wolf in sheep’s clothes. My grievance against Yamaraj is why did he wait this long.”

Even as the shocking tweet by the former CBI director caused widespread outrage on Twitter, the retired IPS officer held his ground.

“Why do we celebrate as festivals the days savages were dead? Because they're pests destroying society & their death is a cause for celebration. It was also to warn people not to patronise the bad. Hinduism eschews अपात्र दानं & misplaced sympathy as they destroy both the giver & the sympathizer,” he responded to a criticism.

When someone reminded him that all religions call upon human beings to pray for the departed, the former policeman tersely quipped that her knowledge on this issue was inadequate.

When even a conservative Hindu voiced his disapproval of Rao’s crass sentiment, the officer but not a gentleman responded by saying, “Hinduism is NOT Faith. It's Dharma. Faith is blind belief & Hinduism is against it. Critical Inquiry informs Dharma. Vishnu took nine avatars so far to kill Adharmics, which we celebrate as festivals. Are these festivals Hate Virus?”

While a few of his ilk commended him for the vile tweet, many were shocked enough to try and shame him. The following are some of the reactions his tweets elicited:

• There is something very wrong about you as a person. I feel sorry for your family, I just can’t imagine how they put up with you. My sympathies. I can understand a person being like you but what I don’t understand is the public display of filth on Social Media!
• An IPS officer cannot be a religious or casteist bigot as it is against the CCS conduct rules. Karma will catch up with you, sir, when you blame a dead person on his death. Rest in peace Swami Agniveshji. You stood for humanity.
• Didn't know Swami Agnivesh was Telugu. Now double proud of him. Looks like Nageswara Rao is still waiting for the elusive Rajya Sabha seat/ governor post. Mr. Rao will be in the Sanghi dust bin till his last days
• How do you eat and sleep in the night peacefully with so much venom? If there is real social distancing, it needs to be from these vultures.
• Swami Agnivesh was a Vedic scholar and a true Hindu nationalist. But RSS goons lynched him, abused him, attacked him throughout his life. But he stood strong for true nationalism. RIP, a pure soul left his body today.
• Any believer of the Hindu faith knows about the cycle of births and karma. You, Nageshwar Rao, should be very worried too. May Swamiji's soul find eternal peace.
• I think your tweet and thinking is shameful... I am a proud Hindu Brahmin. But my SANSKAR will never permit me to abuse any person specially when he is no more....
• You were a senior police officer. You did enormous damage to the people who believe in secularism in our establishment. You must feel ashamed as an Indian. It means your true identity was hidden behind Khaki. Get well soon.
• Wow & this man an IPS! A fitting reflection to what our society is all about ! These & their ilks are the ones placed at the helm of the bureaucracy to serve people. No wonder caste & gender bias run deep in the system
• Naga...be careful what you wish for...the supporters whom you are proud of will discard you like rotten fish one day..
• In Hinduism only Rakshas celebrate death. The Rakshas who in principle are against the values of Hinduism. Swami Agnivesh was the real Hindu, who preached values & principles as mentioned in Bhagwat Geeta. Clearly, you seem to have no knowledge of Hinduism.

M. Nageswara Rao, a relatively junior officer working in the CBI, was installed as the director post-midnight after the then Director, CBI initiated an inquiry against Rakesh Asthana, now heading the Narcotics Control Bureau, for corruption. Both Asthana and Rao were perceived to be close to the ruling dispensation.

Weeks before he retired at the end of July as Director General, Fire Services and Home Guards, Rao stoked Hindu sentiment by tweeting that there was a conspiracy to vilify Hinduism and steal ‘Hindu Knowledge’. His communally charged tweets were condemned then as unbecoming of a serving officer.