Rahul Gandhi video: Karnataka Information and Technology Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday lodged a complaint against BJP national president JP Nadda, BJP’s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya and party Chandigarh president Arun Sood for "malicious" posts against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. An animated video of Rahul Gandhi was shared allegedly featuring altered versions of the Congress leader’s speeches.
The video was shared by Malviya on June 17 on his Twitter handle with the caption, “Rahul Gandhi is dangerous and playing an insidious game…” Malviya reposted the same video the next day with Hindi subtitles.
‘Rahul Gandhi has been made a target of a malicious video’
“In the video shared by Amit Malviya, Rahul Gandhi has been made a target of a malicious and false 3D animated video, endorsed by the BJP’s key leaders such as JP Nadda and Arun Sood,” Kharge alleged.
“The video was circulated on June 17, 2023, on Malviya’s Twitter handle with a clear and malicious intent of not only tarnishing (Rahul) Gandhi’s and INC’s reputation but (also) to instigate communal discord and misrepresent the party and its leaders’ persona,” he added.
‘Video projects Congress as anti-national elements’
The minister charged that the video projects the Congress and its leaders as "anti-national elements" and spreads false narratives. The worrisome aspect of the video, Priyank Kharge said, is the "animated misrepresentation of Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with people of the Islamic faith."
“The derogatory portrayal will undoubtedly create hatred between people of different religions and propagate communal disharmony,” the minister said. Kharge, who also heads the Karnataka unit of Congress’s communication department, in his complaint to the High Grounds Police Station here, alleged that the three leaders were promoting enmity between groups and spreading hatred in society.
The minister said his complaint was against the “grave and illegal offences committed against the Indian National Congress and its senior leaders with the intention to incite enmity and hatred in the society by notable members of the Bharatiya Janata Party”.
‘Sinking to new depths of desperation and dishonesty’
The Congress accused the BJP IT cell of “sinking to new depths of desperation and dishonesty” after it released an animated video on social media targeting Rahul Gandhi. Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the party will take legal recourse against those involved in it and “we will make sure that they are held accountable for the lies they peddle”.
The 2.5-minute video: “Rahul Gandhi videshi takton ka mohra (pawn of foreign powers)?” In the video it is stated that “RaGa ek umeed, ek eklauta vikalp hai, Bharat ke liye nahi, lekin Bharat virodhi shaktion ke liye. RaGa ne khud ko ek mohre ke roop mein pesh kiya hai, taki Bharat ko todne mein unka istamal kiya ja sake (RaGa is the hope and only alternative – not for India but for anti-India forces. RaGa has projected himself as a pawn that can be used to break up India.”
(With PTI inputs)
