"You can accuse Leftists of anything, but not of communal violence," wrote political activist and Swaraj India's National President Yogendra Yadav in an opinion piece after the arrest of Umar Khalid under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with Northeast Delhi riots.
A Twitter user posted the article on the microblogging site and said that the claim is "historically wrong". Yadav responded to her tweet and challenged to "show me an instance of Indian communists carrying out or abetting communal riots or violence". "Facts, no inferences," he added.
Twitter users immediately fact-checked Yadav's claim and pointed out various instances of violence carried out by Indian communists. The Marichjhapi Massacre of 1979, Nanoor Massacre of 2000 and Nandigram Massacre of 2007 were some of the instances cited by the Twitterati.
"How; JUST HOW, is it humanly possible for someone to be so IGNORANT? Indian communists have had blood on their hands right from the time they had hands (sic)," tweeted JNU professor and author Anand Ranganathan.
"This man has the ability to stand in glaring sunlight and innocently ask "Why is it so dark today?" wrote another Twitter user.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions: