FIR Filed Over Fake Video of Home Minister Amit Shah

New Delhi: An FIR has been filed against unknown persons for spreading a fake video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah showing him allegedly talking about ending reservations if the BJP comes to power. An edited video that has been doing rounds on social media ever since the second phase of polling for Lok Sabha 2024 elections concluded, shows the HM reportedly stating that the BJP government will 'scrap the reservation' for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), the Scheduled Tribes (STs), and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). 

The original video – dating back to 23 April 2023, however, shows Shah addressing a gathering at the 'Vijaya Sankalp Sabha' in Telangana's Chevella. In the video posted on the official YouTube channel of Amit Shah – from an election rally last year –  the HM can be seen talking about scrapping the 'unconstitutional reservation' for Muslims in the state of Telangana if the BJP is voted to power. Part of the video clipping – from 14 minutes onwards – shows the union minister addressing a huge gathering at the KVR Ground in Chevella, as he asserts that it is the constitutional “right of every citizen belonging to the SC, ST and OBC community in the state”.

With attempts being made at spinning false narratives ahead of the third phase of polling for the parliamentary elections that are currently underway in the country, the BJP has clarified that the questionable video has been altered to deliberately paint the saffron party and its top leaders in bad light by falsely depicting Shah as rallying for the end of quota altogether. In contrast to what the fabricated video shows, the original remarks made by the Home Minister suggest removal of "unconstitutional" reservation for Muslims in Telangana, the party has stressed.

Shah – who entered the Lok Sabha after winning the Gandhinagar seat in 2019 –  is seeking re-election from the same Gujarat constituency.

Voting in Gujarat will take place in the third phase of the general elections on May 7.