The controversy surrounding a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken a dramatic turn with the arrest of Reetam Singh, the war room coordinator of the Assam Congress. The incident has sparked outrage, with the Congress party distancing itself from Singh’s actions while simultaneously condemning his arrest.
Doctored Video Surfaces
On April 27th, Reetam Singh shared a doctored video on social media, which purportedly showed Amit Shah making controversial remarks about reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). The edited clip portrayed Shah as saying that if the BJP came to power, it would abolish reservations for these communities and allocate all jobs and positions to “3% Brahmins.”
PC – FPJ
Arrest and Police Investigation
Acting on a complaint filed by an individual named Deepak Das, the Assam Police arrested Reetam Singh and seized two mobile phones and a personal laptop from his possession. The police stated that they arrested Singh based on complaints of circulating a “distorted and motivated tweet” against the Union Home Minister. They further revealed that the investigation is ongoing.
Congress Distances Itself from Singh
Reacting to Singh’s arrest, Bedabrata Borah, the chairperson of the Assam Congress media cell, distanced the party from Singh’s actions. While confirming Singh as the party’s war room coordinator, Borah asserted that Singh made the controversial post in his personal capacity. Additionally, Borah emphasized that it had nothing to do with the Congress party.
Congress Condemns Arrest
Despite disowning Singh’s actions, the Congress party condemned his arrest. They claimed that he was apprehended for criticizing the government’s policies detrimental to democracy. Bhupen Borah, the Assam Congress chief, demanded Singh’s immediate release, alleging that the BJP’s actions were a threat to democracy.
Amit Shah Hits Back
Addressing the controversy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah played both the real and fake videos during a press conference. He clarified that he had never suggested scrapping reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities. Instead, he had stated that the BJP would remove the unconstitutional reservations for Muslims introduced by the Opposition alliance.
Shah accused the Congress party of resorting to misleading tactics out of fear of defeat, urging citizens to report any such fake videos. He reiterated the BJP’s commitment to upholding reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities, calling it a “Modi guarantee.”
History of Controversy
Notably, Reetam Singh has a history of peddling fake news and issuing threats on social media. He has previously targeted OpIndia’s editor-in-chief, Nupur J. Sharma, with threats and attempts to leak personal information after reports linked him to anti-CAA protests.
PC – OPIndia
The arrest of Reetam Singh and the subsequent reactions from the Congress party and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have ignited a heated debate surrounding free speech, fake news, and the integrity of political discourse. As the investigation continues, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible use of social media and the need for transparency and accountability in the political arena.