bjp-alleges-congress-misinformation-campaign-files-complaint-with-election-commission

On Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission against the Congress, alleging a deliberate attempt to sow discord in society by spreading falsehoods about potential changes to the Constitution.

 

The BJP's complaint contends that the Congress and its associates are propagating unfounded claims that the BJP seeks to secure over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections to alter the Constitution, thereby terminating quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.

 

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, along with BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi and party leader Om Pathak, presented the complaint to the Election Commission.

 

Among the grievances cited, the BJP accused the opposition INDIA bloc, including the Congress, of disseminating and circulating deepfake videos.

 

This move by the BJP comes in response to recent controversies, notably the circulation of a doctored video featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah's speech, which went viral on social media.

 

Subsequently, the Delhi Police registered an FIR following a complaint from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), an entity under the home ministry.

 

This FIR resulted in the summoning of 22 individuals, including Congress leader and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur.

 

Addressing reporters after the meeting with Election Commission officials, Sudhanshu Trivedi accused the Congress and its allies of disseminating misinformation and creating an atmosphere of tension in society through orchestrated means.

 

Trivedi elaborated, stating that the Congress initiates false narratives, which are then echoed by its allies.

 

These narratives are further amplified through social media channels, including the circulation of deepfake videos, he alleged.

 

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar emphasized the detrimental impact of the Congress' alleged misinformation campaign on the electoral process.

 

He criticized the Congress for perpetuating a strategy based on lies and distortion of facts, asserting that such tactics mislead the public into believing baseless claims, including the notion that the BJP intends to amend the Constitution.

 

Chandrasekhar stressed the importance of the Election Commission's intervention to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and prevent the proliferation of falsehoods.

 

He called upon the Election Commission to promptly address these concerns to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections and to safeguard against the Congress' purported "politics of lies"