Egypt`s Mursi holds Twitter Q&A, reaches out to youth

Egypt`s embattled President Mohammed Mursi took to Twitter to reply to people`s questions, in a bid to win over the youth.

Cairo: Egypt`s embattled President Mohammed Mursi on Thursday took to Twitter to reply to people`s questions, in a bid to win over the youths, many of whom have been critical of him.

Mursi, who has more than one million Twitter followers, said on Thursday he would be answering questions posted by "youths" on the microblogging site. In reaching out to online activists, not the Islamist leader`s typical support base, the presidency exposed itself to a number of jibes. Many struck a defiant tone, while others called the President out when his answers seemed less than satisfying. "Why did you withdraw the reports filed against those who insult you, president. They will only be deterred by strictness," asked one user on the social media site. "I leave it to the public opinion to judge transgressors. By my decision I sent across a message that I hope has arrived at the correct address," read the President`s response. "The right address? where did they tell you it was?" jibed a user. One person asked if people could have hope of getting bread, medical care and humane treatment or protest without being called thugs. "We seek to achieve the mottoes of the revolution, including bread, freedom, social justice and human dignity, and we want you to give us a hand," answered the President`s account. An online activist asked, "Why are you always against the revolutionary youth in many things, and you don`t listen to them?" To which Mursi answered, "The revolutionary youth have all my appreciation. Isn`t this Twitter (account) a message from me to all the youth". Asked in one tweet when corruption would be eliminated, Mursi replied: "We have a heavy burden of corruption and the road is long, but I will not give up until the whole of Egypt has been purged of it". Meanwhile, more than a million Egyptians have signed petitions urging the military to take over the country, the activist 25 January Revolutionaries Coalition claimed yesterday. However, a Justice Ministry spokesperson said no more than 800,000 signatures have been submitted on officially notarised petitions. The petitions supporting a military takeover began circulating in Port Said, Suez and Ismailia in February. Residents of these governorates said they were fed up with political unrest, and frustrated by the month-long curfew Mursi imposed in January after deadly clashes broke out between protesters and police. PTI