People who celebrate the killing of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk should be held accountable, US Vice-President JD Vance has said.

“Call them out, and hell, call their employer,” Vance said as he guest-hosted an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show. “We don’t believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility.”

Pilots, medical professionals, teachers and one Secret Service employee are among those who have been suspended or sacked for social media posts that were deemed inappropriate about Kirk’s death.

Critics have argued the firings threaten free speech and employee protections, although US companies have wide latitude to terminate employees.

Vance’s comments aired on Monday in an episode of the Charlie Kirk Show, a daily podcast that Kirk hosted before he was shot in the neck last Wednesday while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University.

He was joined by the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who vowed to dismantle the left-wing “terrorist networks” he said were responsible for the killing. Police have said the 22-year-old suspect in custody acted alone.

In the episode, the vice-president said that left-wing Americans “are much likelier to defend and celebrate political violence”, and added that “there is no civility in the celebration of political assassination”.

A recent YouGov poll found liberal Americans were more likely than conservatives to defend feeling joy about the deaths of political opponents.

However a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute in 2023 – when Democrat Joe Biden was in the White House – found that a third of Republicans agreed with the statement: “Because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country.”

Just 13 percent of Democrats in the survey agreed.

Vance’s remarks come as other Republican US lawmakers echoed calls for those publicly celebrating Kirk’s death to be punished.

“I will demand their firing, defunding, and license revocation,” said Florida congressman Randy Fine in a post on X on Sunday, as he called for such people to “be thrown out of civil society”.

Critics have highlighted previous comments from Fine, including calling Muslim members of Congress “terrorists” and proposing a bill allowing people to run over peaceful protesters who block traffic, an initiative he dubbed the “Thump Thump Act”.

South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace urged the Department of Education to “cut off every dime to any school or university” that refuses to retaliate against employees making insensitive posts about Kirk.

Kirk, a devout Christian, professed viewpoints on gender, race and abortion that drew backlash from many liberals, especially on the campuses he toured.

In some cases, those who took to social media to gloat over his death or post comments that caused offence have been fired or placed on leave by employers.

Among them is Anthony Pough, a US Secret Service employee who wrote on Facebook that Kirk “spewed hate and racism on his show… at the end of the day, you answer to GOD, and speak things into existence”.

He has had his security clearance revoked.

Secret Service Director Sean Curran wrote in a memo to staff that politically motivated attacks are on the rise and members of the protective detail should not be exacerbating the issue.

“The men and women of the Secret Service must be focused on being the solution, not adding to the problem,” Curran wrote.

Americans employed by private companies have also come under scrutiny. Office Depot fired employees at a Michigan branch after a viral video showed staff refusing to print posters for a Kirk vigil, the company confirmed to the BBC in a statement.

A spokesperson for Office Depot said the employees’ behaviour “was completely unacceptable and insensitive”, and violated the company’s policies.

Professors and journalists, too, are facing punishment for their comments, provoking a debate over so-called cancel culture.

Karen Attiah, a long-time columnist for the Washington Post, wrote in a Substack post that the newspaper had fired her after a series of posts she made on social media platform Bluesky following Kirk’s death.

In South Carolina, Clemson University said in a statement on Monday that it had fired one employee and placed two professors on leave for what it called “inappropriate” social media posts related to Kirk’s killing.

The repercussions have reached beyond the US.

In Canada, University of Toronto professor Ruth Marshall was placed on leave after appearing to write in a social media post that “shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascists”.

US employers generally have broad discretion to fire workers for any reason, as most staff are hired under “at-will” contracts.

Steven Collis, a law professor at the University of Texas Austin, said the right to free speech under the US Constitution does not cover private employers.

Rather, it applies to government actions restricting citizens’ free speech, he said.

But Risa Lieberwitz, head of the Worker Institute at Cornell University, said public figures could be infringing on free speech rights if they call for accountability over posts about Kirk.

She said the spate of firings was not surprising, given the current heated political rhetoric in the US.

“I think it reflects the kind of fear that exists now in the United States from retaliation by the Trump administration for not adhering to their political agenda,” she said.

Some have criticised the firings, like the American Association of University Professors, who said in a statement on Monday that academic freedom should be protected and “not curtailed under political pressure”.

ITR filing FY 2024-25 due day has been extended to today, that is September 16, 2025, but taxpayers are complaining of still facing issues with the income tax e-filing portal.Following the Finance Ministry’s extension of the ITR filing deadline from September 15, 2025, to September 16, 2025, taxpayers initially felt relieved about meeting the submission deadline without incurring penalties – but even after the portal was back after its scheduled maintenance, taxpayers took to social media to vent their frustrations about continued issues.According to an ET report, taxpayers continue to struggle with the ITR submission process due to technical difficulties on the Income Tax department‘s official portal.

ITR filing due date extended: Tax portal glitches continue?

Several taxpayers expressed their concerns via social media, rueing that the single-day extension offered insufficient time, and requested the Finance Ministry for an additional extension of the submission date.Across social media platforms, taxpayers are expressing their discontent and irritation regarding the technical issues they are encountering on the ITR filing portal.The Finance Ministry announced an extension of the ITR deadline through an X post at 11:48 PM on September 15, 2025. They advised that the e-filing portal would undergo maintenance from 12:00 AM to 02:30AM on September 16, 2025, to implement necessary utility modifications.A user named Ravi Kumar wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “It hasn’t been working since the extension. They mentioned maintenance until 3:00 AM, but it’s still not working. Not sure why the date extended when it’s not working?”Another user, Ajit Jha raised concerns about Section 234F late fees appearing during return submission. He noted: “Sir, the utility has not been updated and a late fee under Section 234F is being reflected at the time of uploading the return.”Saurabh Gupta, an advocate, raised concerns about the persistent issues with the tax portal, commenting: “HELP THE PROFESSIONALS DON’t HARASS THEM. ITR Potral has in same condition as it was yesterday. What is the benefit of EXTENSION?”Chartered Accountant Himank Singla reported experiencing technical difficulties, indicating that his IncomeTaxIndia Portal was not functioning.

Income Tax Department shares some quick fixes

On Monday evening, the Income Tax Department’s X handle shared a list of quick fixes for taxpayers facing glitches in accessing the e-filing portal. According to the I-T Department, some issues may arise due to local system/browser settings.

According to the tax department, if you experience problems accessing the Income Tax e-Filing Portal, this could be related to your local system or browser configuration. A series of straightforward troubleshooting procedures can typically address these access issues.

ITR filing: What is the penalty for returns submission after due date?

Deloitte India Partner Aarti Raote advises utilising this additional time, noting significant consequences for late filing.Raote said, “The first is a penalty of up to Rs 5,000 for delayed filing. In addition, there would be interest of 1% on the amount of taxes unpaid for each month till the return is filed. Further, one would lose the chance to carry forward current year losses like capital losses if the return is filed beyond the due date. These losses would otherwise be available for set-off against gains of future years. A bigger implication is also that one loses the right to switch to the tax regime that is more favourable to them and hence may land up paying a higher tax.“She further said, “In addition to the above financial implications, one should expect refunds slower and tax payers could be at a higher risk of receiving notices and scrutiny by the tax department also. They may also face the risk of scrutiny. Thus, it is ideal that the tax returns are filed in time.”