On August 9 (Monday), the Delhi Police registered a case against unknown people in connection with a viral video ater claims that anti-Muslim slogans were raised at an event organised at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar area by Supreme Court lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay on Sunday. Following the allegations, the former BJP spokesperson has written to the Delhi police disassociating himself with the people who reportedly raised the communal slogans.
Urging the Delhi police to take strict action against the perpetrators, the BJP leader assured that the people who indulged in the unsavoury act were not his supporters. He said that his rally was attended by more than 5000 people. If a group of 5-6 people, stand in one corner of the expanse and raise communal slogans, then he or his men cannot be held accountable for it, wrote the BJP leader in his letter to the Delhi police.
Upadhyay also requested Delhi Police to check the time, place and authenticity of the video.
He further claimed that those who have been attributing the particular video, the authenticity of which has not been established yet, to him should also be booked for defamation.
In his written complaint to the Delhi Police Commissioner, he requested action against those who have tried to spread religious hysteria. Criticising the age-old provisions of the Indian Penal Code of 1860, the Police Act of 1861 and the Evidence Act of 1872, Upadhyay opined that until these remain in force, the frenzy steered by religious fanatics in India cannot be brought under control.
He wrote in the letter: “A video is going viral on social media in which a few men are seen raising communal slogans. Some people are sharing this video on Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp by taking my name. This is a clear attempt to defame me, as I neither know the people seen in the video nor have I met any of them before nor did I call, nor invite them for the event on Sunday. The laws in India are so weak that people, who make or share such offensive videos for instant fame at large, dare to do it because they know that they would easily get away with the law.”
The rally was from 10 to 12 pm whereas the sloganeering happened around 5 pm, said BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay.
Ashwini Upadhyay also informed the Delhi Police that some anti-social elements had entered the rally, who have tried to defame the event. He confirmed that he had left the venue at around 12:15 pm, way before the sloganeering happened.
Speaking to Bar & Bench, the SC lawyer had claimed that the slogans were given after his event wrapped up. “The rally was from 10 to 12 pm. Whereas the sloganeering happened around 5 pm. Our rally was outside park hotel but the slogans were given near Parliament house police station. I do not know who they were,” Upadhyay was quoted as saying.
“I have no idea who they are. I have never seen them, never met them and neither called them there. Till the time I was there, they were not seen there. If the video is fake, then propaganda is being circulated to defame Bharat Jodo Andolan,” Upadhyay said.
Video claiming anti-Muslim slogans raised at event organised by Ashwini Upadhyay in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar goes viral
A video showing a group of people shouting inflammatory slogans and threatening Muslims has been doing the rounds on social media with claims that it is from the event which was organised by the BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay in Jantar Mantar against ‘Colonial-era laws’ on Sunday.
The event had sought the repealing of colonial-era laws and to make laws uniform for all citizens across India.
#भारत_जोड़ो_आंदोलन
— Ashwini Upadhyay (@AshwiniUpadhyay) August 9, 2021
प्रधानमंत्री जी से निवेदन है कि अंग्रेजी कानून समाप्त करें और समान शिक्षा समान चिकित्सा समान कर संहिता समान दंड संहिता समान श्रम संहिता समान पुलिस संहिता समान न्यायिक संहिता समान नागरिक संहिता समान धर्मस्थल संहिता समान जनसंख्या संहिता लागू करें🙏 @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/2yBChEj608
After the video went viral, the Delhi police registered a case against unknown people in connection with the matter on Monday. The Delhi Police also said that the organizers did not take permission from the police to take out the rally, that is why in the FIR under IPC Section-188 (deliberately disobeying order issued by the administration) and disaster for violation of Corona guidelines Section-51 of the Management Act, 2005 (DDMA Act) has also been imposed.
FIR registered against unknown persons after a video emerged showing inflammatory slogans being raised at Jantar Mantar during a march for “Colonial Laws & Make Uniform Laws” yesterday: Delhi Police sources
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2021
Meanwhile, Shipra Srivastava, the media in charge of Bharat Jodo Aandolan, which organised the rally on Sunday, also denied any links to those who allegedly raised the anti-Muslim slogans.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Deepak Yadav said, “We have received a video and we are examining it. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and an investigation is in progress.”
