Ranchi: FIR against Smriti Irani for ‘edited’ video clip

We are probing into the complaint lodged by Congress leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad: Cop

Smriti Irani.: File photo

Animesh Bisoee   |   TT  |  Jamshedpur   |    19.07.22 : An FIR was registered at a Ranchi police station in Jharkhand against the BJP’s IT department in-charge, Amit Malviya, Union minister Smriti Irani and BJP’s IT cell member Priti Gandhi on Monday evening for allegedly uploading an “edited” video clip on social media that suggested Congress leader Ajoy Kumar was insulting NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

“We have registered an FIR against the BJP leaders and are probing into the complaint lodged by Congress leader Rajiv Ranjan Prasad,” said Kotwali police station in-charge Shailesh Prasad.

The Congress state spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, said: “We had to lodge the complaint to expose the BJP leaders’ mala fide intention of projecting a senior

Congress leader like Ajoy Kumar — who is AICC in-charge of Sikkim, Tripura and Nagaland and had been a MP from Jharkhand (Jamshedpur) and also been party’s state president — as anti-tribal through doctored and edited videos circulated on social media and these BJP leaders’ Twitter handles. We have attached evidence of the original interview given by Ajoy Kumar to a news agency (ANI) and the edited video clips circulated in social media.”

He continued: “The BJP leaders have deliberately tried to malign and lower the image of Ajoy Kumar in the minds of the public by misleading them into believing that Kumar is against the idea of Murmu being the President of the country since she is a tribal woman.”

Ajoy Kumar had said in the 57-second original video clip uploaded by the news agency:  “It is not about individuals. Yashwant Sinha ji is also a good candidate and Droupadi Murmu ji is also a decent person. But she represents a very evil philosophy of India. We should not make her a symbol of Adivasi. We have President Ram Nath Kovind, Hathras happened. Has he said a word? The condition of Scheduled Castes has become worse. Creating symbols and fooling the people is what the Modi government is all about….”

”Malviya posted on Twitter along with the alleged ‘edited video clip’: “At a time when the NDA, led by PM Modi, has announced Smt Draupadi Murmu, a woman from Adivasi samaj, as it's nominee for the President's office, a move that will significantly empower the Tribals, Congress leader calls her evil by association! Just because she is a Tribal. Shame.”

While Priti Gandhi had attached the same alleged edited video clip and posted on Twitter, “An honest, hardworking woman who hails from the weakest section of society and has risen the ranks against all odds solely on the basis of her hardwork and determination represents an “evil philosophy” as per Congress leader @drajoykumar. The sense of entitlement is appaling!!”

The Union minister had also attached the same alleged edited clip and posted on Twitter, “A tribal lady who has devoted her life towards uplifting the downtrodden, exhibited impleccable administrative skills and risen as a role model for millions is today mocked &insulted by the Congress. Congress’ evil philosophy of ‘entitlement’ is once again proven today.”

BJP leaders had been burning effigies of Congress and Congress leaders last week over this video clip in Jharkhand and Odisha.