Twitter Account will be Available to Incoming PMO

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office sought to end the controversy over the change in its Twitter handle, saying all internet-based platforms will continue to remain under the administrative control of the PMO after change of government and Twitter account @PMOIndia will be available to incoming PMO administration.

"All PMO internet-based platforms and communications therein will continue to remain under the administrative control and management of the PMO after the changeover of the government," a PMO statement said.

The PMO changed its Twitter handle, days before Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi takes oath as the next prime minister. This provoked the BJP to term it as "disgraceful, unethical and illegal".

The statement said the PMO's engagement with public has increased multi-fold due to social media outreach. It said the PMO had four internet-based platforms: official website pmindia.gov.in, Twitter - @PMOlndiaArchive, Facebook Pagewww.facebook.com/PMOfficelndia and YouTube Channel www.youtube.PMofficeindia.

The statement said the Twitter account @PMOIndia has been secured by Twitter and "they were assisting in the handover of the same to this office to be available to the incoming PMO administration along with its followers."

"The existing material on (outgoing prime minister) Manmohan Singh will be separately available under a new account on Twitter," the statement said.

The statement said transfer of digital assets to the incoming PMO administration has been arranged.

"The archiving process is underway so all archived material can also be available to the public," it said.

The Prime Minister's Office had changed its Twitter handle. The Twitter handle, @PMOIndia, which was begun during the tenure of (outgoing) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was changed to @PMOIndiaArchive.