Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said political rivals who are unable to take on the BJP-led government are now misusing technology to circulate fake videos on social media and create tension.
Addressing three campaign rallies in a day during his whirlwind tour of western Maharashtra, Modi targeted NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, saying some “wandering souls” ushered in an era of political instability in the state 45 years ago, and accused the Congress and its INDIA allies of coming up with a formula of “five PMs in five years”, who will eventually loot the country.
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At an election rally at Karad in Satara district, Modi raised concerns over the misuse of social media and technology and warned “there is a plan to create a big incident in next one month”. Modi spoke of the emergence of fake videos created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology and asked people to remain vigilant.
“Opponents are using AI to distort quotes of leaders like me, Amit Shah and J P Nadda to create social discord. By using technology, these people are making fake videos in my voice, which is creating danger. If you see any fake video, inform the police,” he told the crowd.
“There is a plan to create a big incident in next one month. I am making these allegations with a lot of seriousness. Games are being played to create social tension so that some untoward incident takes place,” Modi claimed.
The PM’s comments came a day after the Special Cell of the Delhi Police registered an FIR on an Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre complaint about a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah where his statements indicating a commitment to abolish quota for Muslims on religious ground in Telangana were changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations. Abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was a guarantee he had given and he fulfilled, the PM noted.
“I want to ask those who are speaking lies about reservations and misleading the people that weren’t Dalits and Adivasis living in J-K entitled to reservations. Why was the Constitution not implemented there? Because vote bank politics was being played,” he said. By removing Article 370, the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar was implemented in J-K and Dalit and Adivasi brethren are now getting benefits of reservations, the PM said.
The Constitution does not allow reservations on the basis of religion but the Congress declared Muslims as OBCs overnight in Karnataka and accommodated them in the 27 per cent quota for the social group, the BJP stalwart maintained. “The Congress wants to implement this model across the country after they come to power. Till I am alive, I won’t allow any change of Constitution and religion-based reservation. I have the blessings of the people,” Modi said.
Attacking the Congress over wealth redistribution and inheritance tax, Modi said that party would “conduct house searches, X-ray your properties and seize them. Their intention is to loot your property and redistribute it among their ‘khaas’ (favourite) vote bank.”
In a veiled attack on Pawar at a rally in Pune city, Modi said some “wandering souls” in Maharashtra ushered in an era of political instability in the state 45 years ago for their own ambitions. Though he did not name Pawar while speaking at a campaign rally in Pune, it was apparent the reference was to the veteran Maratha politician’s rebellion against then-chief minister of Maharashtra Vasantdada Patil in 1978.
Pawar, with the backing of 40 MLAs, had then formed the Progressive Democratic Front, leading to the collapse of the Patil-led dispensation, and was at 38 sworn in as the CM on July 18, 1978.
“Maharashtra, for a long period, has witnessed political instability. Whatever, I am going to say, one should not take it personally. There are some wandering souls. Those whose desires and dreams are not fulfilled, such souls become wandering souls. Such souls create hurdles for others when their own wishes remain unfulfilled,” said Modi. Maharashtra has become a victim of such wandering souls,” remarked the BJP’s star campaigner in a veiled attack on Pawar, a critic of the saffron party.
“Forty-five years ago, one big leader from Maharashtra, for his own ambitions, started this game and since then Maharashtra has faced a long phase of instability and many CMs could not complete their terms. This leader not only undermined the opposition, but also did the same with his own party and the family,” charged Modi.
“Today, this soul is not satisfied just by trying to destabilise Maharashtra (where BJP is now part of the ruling bloc), but is trying to create instability across the country. Today, there is a need to safeguard the country from such wandering souls and vote for a stable government,” he maintained.
At another rally in Solapur, the top BJP leader said the Congress, despite its “tainted background”, is dreaming of snatching power unaware that the INDI alliance is already vanquished in the first two phases of Lok Sabha elections.
