BJP initiates legal action over alleged manipulated video of Amit Shah’s reservation stance

PTC News Desk: An FIR has been lodged subsequent to allegations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserting that a video purportedly showing Union Home Minister Amit Shah advocating the abolition of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) is falsified.

On Sunday, the Delhi Police initiated an FIR following a complaint regarding a “doctored video” featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP contended that the video, which portrayed Shah endorsing the termination of SC/ST reservation, was manipulated.

According to BJP claims, the original video depicted Amit Shah discussing the elimination of the 4% “unconstitutional” reservation designated for Muslims in Telangana. They asserted that the video was edited to misrepresent the Union Home Minister as advocating the cessation of Muslim reservation during a recent campaign rally for the Lok Sabha elections.

In response to the complaints, the Delhi Police reached out to X and Facebook, requesting information regarding the account responsible for disseminating the edited video.

Numerous social media platforms, including official handles of Congress state units, shared the video, alleging that the BJP intended to dismantle SC/ST reservation.

For instance, the Jharkhand Congress tweeted on Sunday, “A viral clip of Amit Shah’s election speech has surfaced, where he purportedly stated that if the BJP secures power again, OBC and SC/ST reservation will be annulled”.

Amit Malviya, a BJP leader, accused the Congress on Saturday of “circulating a doctored video, entirely fabricated and with the potential to incite widespread violence. Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the issue of abolishing the unconstitutional reservation granted to Muslims based on religion, subsequent to reducing the allotment for SCs/STs and OBCs. Various Congress spokespersons have disseminated this false video. They should be prepared for legal repercussions”.

A senior BJP official informed India Today, “We are receiving grievances from various regions of the country, and we will ensure that FIRs are lodged for all these complaints”.

Leading up to the 2023 assembly elections in Telangana, Amit Shah alleged that the 4% reservation for Muslims in the state was “unconstitutional” and pledged that, if the BJP secured power, they would eliminate this reservation and reallocate it to SCs, STs, and OBCs.