Co-founder of propaganda website Alt News Pratik Sinha has once again come out in defence of those raising pro-Pakistan slogans. Recently, a person named Abdul Salam, the former district president of the banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) was arrested by Bhilwara Police for raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans in a rally. The case in the matter was registered on May 15 after the video of the incident went viral.
Alt News’ Md Zubair had earlier claimed that the slogans were “SDPI Zindabad” and not “Pakistan Zindabad”.
Now, Pratik Sinha has dismissed the forensic report of the viral video as ‘faulty’.
On November 23, quoting a tweet by AajTak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary, Pratik Sinha tweeted, “Forensic report, if any, in this case, is faulty if it claims that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised. It can be clearly heard that the slogan raised was ‘SDPI Zindabad’. An innocent man is being jailed and those who call themselves journalists are on the side of injustice.”
Forensic report, if any, in this case is faulty if it claims that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised. It can be clearly heard that the slogan raised was ‘SDPI Zindabad’. An innocent man is being jailed and those who call themselves journalists are on the side of injustice.++ https://t.co/FVDuX9cZPD
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) November 23, 2022
In another tweet, Sinha shared the video which led to the PFI operative’s arrest. Contrary to the claims made by the Alt News propagandist, ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans can be heard clearly in the video.
Here is the video. pic.twitter.com/eNiEy6ZIb6
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) November 23, 2022
Netizens were quick to call out the desperate attempt of the Islamist sympathizer to defend the pro-Pakistan sloganeering.
Twitter user wrote, “Seems like these two jokers are above all investigative agencies in this country.”
Seems like these two jokers are above all investigative agencies in this country.
— Anandi N (@Anandi_NR) November 24, 2022
Another one wrote, “Anyone calling him takla or ganja is also fake and faulty, as it is clearly visible black and beautiful hairs on his head. else get ur eyes tested. u all ganjafobic.”
anyone calling him takla or ganja is also fake and faulty, as it is clearly visible black and beautiful hairs on is head. else get ur eyes tested. u all ganjafobic
— Mishra (@mishra0818) November 23, 2022
Notably, Alt News had claimed to have done a “fact check” of the said video and even gave a clean chit to the PFI leader. However, the Station House Officer of the police station stated that the viral video was sent for forensic analysis. It was found in the investigation that Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised. Furthermore, it was discovered that the rally was held on February 7, 2021, in support of Nathulal Rao, who won the election from Ward 57 on the SDPI, the PFI’s political wing.
Abdul Salam Ansari, former PFI district president, led the rally. The rally participants are clearly visible, raising slogans in support.
Nandlal Rinwa, in charge of the Subhash Nagar police station, stated that on May 15, 2022, Nemichand’s son Babulal Khatik, a Sanganer resident, filed a complaint in this regard, and the video was sent for forensic examination. According to the forensic report, shouts of Pakistan Zindabad were heard during the rally. Rinwa stated that Abdul Salam has been detained and that he is being questioned about other people who were present at the march, and that appropriate action is being taken.
Known for shielding Islamists, Alt News in its ‘fact check’ report stooped to a newer low and defended PFI, claiming that no pro-Pak slogans were raised in the rally. It gave a clean chit to PFI leader Abdul Salam and claimed that ‘SDPI Zindabad’ slogans were raised which were being passed off as ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans on social media. The archived version of the report can be found here.
Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of the propaganda portal who has been charged in several cases for inciting riots and fostering enmity between communities, also supported the claim on Twitter in May 2022.
You guys literally got people beheaded for blasphemy by manipulating videos… https://t.co/e5p66x74BJ
— Rishabh Jain (@rj1182) November 24, 2022
Nupur Sharma controversy, Alt News and Mohammad Zubair’s role
On May 26, former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma took part in a debate on Times Now about the Gyanvapi disputed structure case, where the other panelist from the Muslim community repeatedly insulted Bhagwan Shiv. Sharma responded by narrating what is written in Islamic holy scriptures about Prophet Muhammad. What she said has been widely quoted by Islamic scholars, including hate preacher Zakir Naik.
Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of the so-called fact-checking website AltNews, used a cleverly trimmed video clip of the debate to target Nupur Sharma. He tweeted shortly after the debate, “Prime Time debates in India have become a platform to encourage hate mongers to speak ill of other religions.” Navika Kumar, the anchor of Times Now, is encouraging a rabid communal hatemonger and a BJP spokesperson to say things that can incite riots. Shame on you, Vineet Jain.”
It was after Mohammad Zubair shared the edited video clips of the debate that sparked outrage against Nupur Sharma and anti-India campaigns emanating from Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan. Multiple Islamic leaders and organisations made death and beheading threats to Nupur Sharma. Riots erupted in several parts of the country. On 10th June 2022, Islamist mobs led to riots in many areas after the Friday Namaz. Muslim mob raised hateful slogans against Nupur Sharma, vandalized public property, and even attacked police and citizens. In Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, Prayagraj, and other districts several incidents of stone pelting and vandalism were reported. While the names of the places changed the pattern of ‘protests’ remained the same.
In June, a Hindu tailor Kanhaiyalal was beheaded in Rajasthan’s Udaipur by two Islamist terrorists for supporting Nupur Sharma. ‘Sar tan se juda’ became the new ‘normal’ response to anyone opposing the Islamist ideology.
Md Zubair and the platform Alt News have been at the forefront of spreading deliberate fake news and misleading information, especially of a communally sensitive nature, on social media.
