Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted political rivals for circulating a tampered video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Satara, the Prime Minister said that it's due to the fear of losing the elections (Haar ka Darr) that the opposition is spreading fake news. He cautioned people against falling for fake information generated through such videos. These are recent tactics used by those who cannot engage in direct political battles against the BJP and NDA. PM Modi highlighted that through such videos, they are spreading false information in public.
Strongly rebuking the Opposition's misuse of social media platforms, PM Modi reiterated, "I have been a strong supporter of technology. However, recent events are troubling. People who cannot engage in direct political battle with BJP, NDA are now spreading fake videos on social media. These people are misusing AI to spread false information by mimicking my voice or that of my colleagues. You need to be very cautious of such news, videos, and messages. If you receive any such video, any image on WhatsApp, or see it on any social media platform, you should immediately inform the police or the party. Strong action will be taken against such people.”
Significantly, the statement by the Prime Minister comes on the heels of recent actions taken by the officials in the wake of the circulation of the tampered video of Amit Shah in which he was purportedly heard promising the scrapping of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs.
As soon as the video was identified, the BJP on Saturday had filed a complaint with the chief electoral officer of Andhra Pradesh, accusing a social media handle of the Congress of posting a tampered speech of Amit Shah on the issue. The Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP had filed the complaint and urged the Election Commission official in the state to initiate action and block the X account of the Congress.
The BJP said in the complaint that the Home Minister’s original speech made at an election rally in Telangana was tampered with to give the impression that Shah spoke against the reservation for the SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Meanwhile, during the address in Satara, PM Modi also accused Congress of indulging in vote bank Politics. The PM alleged, "Congress’s Shehzaada has brought an X-ray machine. He publicly says that after their government is formed, they will conduct an X-ray of the country and they will examine your wealth and distribute it amongst their vote bank. Modi has ensured to make 3 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’. However, if the Congress’s Shehzaada comes to power, Congress will not spare the earnings of mothers and sisters, nor will they spare their jewelry."
Further, during the speech, PM Modi highlighted the centre’s efforts in providing better healthcare services through Ayushman Bharat Yojana. He said, “Through Ayushman Bharat centers, healthcare services are expanding to every village today. Today, millions of people have Ayushman cards for free treatment up to Rs. 500,000. And now Modi has guaranteed that this facility of free treatment will be available to all elderly people above the age of 70. It means whether poor, middle class, or upper class, if they are above 70 years old, they will come under the Ayushman scheme.”
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