India Election 2019: Facebook asked to remove Abhinandan's poster shared by BJP leader

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) in India has  asked Facebook to remove two political posters with photographs of  Abhinandan Varthaman, the  pilot who was captured by Pakistan after being shot down over Kashmir.

The  posters with his  photograph were shared on the social media by BJP leader and Delhi MLA Om Prakash Sharma, according to Indian Express on Wednesday.

Related Story:   Pakistan hands over Wing Commander Abhinandan to India as peace gesture

According to the newspaper it was the first instance of action against a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on social media. 

"The EC is learnt to have flagged the content to Shivnath Thukral, Director, Public Policy for India and South Asia, at Facebook, based on a complaint received on its cVIGIL app," the paper said.

"We are committed to working with the Election Commission to prevent abuse on the platform” the paper  quoted a Facebook spokesman  as replying to their request for comments .

Abdhinandan was released by Pakistan as  a peace gesture last month when tensions spiked between the two countries following Pulwama attack in Occupied Kashmir.