In a first-of-its-kind move, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has filed an FIR against Twitter and eight others in connection with a video of a Muslim man being thrashed and propelling fake news using the video on social media.
The FIR names Alt News co-founder Muhammed Zubair who was the first one to upload the muted video of the incident later falsely claiming that the victim was made to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while being thrashed.
Fanning the fake narrative initiated by the self-proclaimed ‘fact-checkers’, journalists and leftist personalities such as Rana Ayyub, Saba Naqvi and Congress leaders like Salman Nizami and Maskoor Usmani furthered the propaganda. All the aforementioned along with the leftist media portal The Wire, have been named in the FIR.
However, Bollywood entertainer Swara Bhasker who has not been named in the FIR has been deflecting her role in spreading this fake news. Now claiming that she is a Hindu, Bhasker as usual demands every Hindu to feel ashamed as the prime accused allegedly belongs to a Gujjar community, whitewashing the crimes of others involved.
Using an utterly derogatory language, Bhasker continued to further her claims. “RW & Sanghis vomiting on my timeline ‘coz Ghaziabad police named 3 Muslims. Jackasses the prime accused is literally a Pravesh Gujjar. The man is on camera forcing the old man to chant #JaiShriRam Yes it is a desecration of my God and my religion and I’m ashamed.. as shud you be,” she said in a Tweet.
Swara claimed that she can hear the alleged accused ‘forcing’ the old man to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in a video where the audio was muted.
It is imperative to note that still, no video has emerged with audio where the perpetrators can be heard forcing the victim to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram.’
RW & Sanghis vomiting on my timeline ‘coz Ghaziabad police named 3 Muslims. Jackasses the prime accused is literally a Pravesh Gujjar. The man is on camera forcing the old man to chant #JaiShriRam
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) June 15, 2021
Yes it is a desecration of my God and my religion and I’m ashamed.. as shud you be
The netizens, however, demand strict action against Bhasker for not only propagating false news, defaming the Hindu religious slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’ but also concealing the crimes of the accused from the Muslim community, falsely giving communal colours to a petty crime.
Netizens demand action
Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit tagging the UP Police has demanded strict action against Bhasker for inciting communal violence.
..@ghaziabadpolice
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) June 16, 2021
An FIR should be filed against this urban naxal #SwaraBhasker also who is a compulsive liar and an expert in inciting communal violence. pic.twitter.com/TU99CgVqoa
A Twitter handle by the name Amit Singh sharing a copy of the Ghaziabad police statement has demanded Bhasker’s arrest.
#SwaraBhasker now your block mind about religious harmony clear, I doubt you are also personally client of old person whose beard was cut,
— Amit Singh (@AmitMandial) June 16, 2021
Shame on you for posting without know the clear cut information.#UPPolice did great job.
Please arrest #SwaraBhasker pic.twitter.com/AaZZ5JNqiN
Another netizen by the name Nishant informed that the Gujjar community comprises of Muslims too. Raising a valid question he asked, “where did she (Swara Bhasker) hear Jai Shri Ram in muted video?”
We have many Gujjar Muslims. More than that where did she hear Jai Shri Ram in muted video? Basing argument on photo origin checkers can be costly.#SwaraBhasker Jai Shri Ram #JaiShreeRam #ArrestMohammedZubair #ArrestInfidelAminShaheedi #arrestswara #iTrustRamJanambhumiNayas https://t.co/5a0Ji6a6Gl
— Nishant Mishra (@Nishant72746404) June 16, 2021
Sumesh, a Twitter handle has tagged Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to bring to his notice that the entertainer is still promulgating the fake news.
FIR should also include Swara Bhasker since she has not stopped peddling the forceful Ram chants narrative on the video.. She too had to be brought down under the law.. @myogiadityanath Pls file FIR on her too..
— Sumesh Nair (@HinduNation_Sum) June 16, 2021
Another user remarked that Freedom of Speech can be misused for furthering a personal propaganda.
This women should booked for sedition , enough of your freedom of speech drama.
— Vikalp Mishra (@vikalpmishra176) June 15, 2021
How low will you get swara bhasker @Uppolice book her and file a charge sheet against her 🙏🙏🙏 https://t.co/MfqH4hUJ9p
Mohammed Zubair of Alt News deletes the video
Meanwhile, after being slapped with an FIR for spreading fake news to incite communal hatred, Zubair took to Twitter to announce that he has deleted the video pertaining to the incident as the ‘facts didn’t add up’.
I’ve deleted the videos that I had posted. The victim’s version of him being forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” at this point in time do not seem to add up based on my conversations with police authorities and other journalists reporting on this issue. https://t.co/cof5bjv3I4
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) June 15, 2021
Uttar Pradesh CM taking cognizance of the matter had responded sharply to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to be a party to spreading the lie.
