Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, on Wednesday, expressed strong criticism toward the Congress party regarding alleged pro-Pakistan slogans raised by supporters of elected Rajya Sabha MP Nasser Hussein.
Chandrasekhar claimed that a video circulating on social media showed Congress leaders chanting “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. He attached the video to his tweet, accusing the Congress of engaging in appeasement politics. He also mocked Nasser Hussein calling him the “political secretary” to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
“Rahuls Congress has elected as MP Rajyasabha – sitting MP Nasser Hussein who is “political secretary” of @kharge. Listen to what the supporters of this Cong MP are shouting inside the vidhan soudha building after his election “Pakistan Zindabad” Shameless and dangerous appeasement politics of Rahuls Cong – even as hes (sic) on his #BharatTodoYatra #TruthAboutCorruptCong,” the MP tweeted.
Fact-checker Mohammed Zubair flagged Chandrasekhar”s claims as fake news, highlighting a perceived double standard in addressing misinformation.
“If this dangerously False and misleading claim was shared by others targeting BJP, IT minister @Rajeev_GoI would have forced @elonmusk @X to withhold the account. But because the Union Minister is Incharge of IT, He has the right to indulge in spreading Fake News. If by chance, @CommunityNotes @Support marks his tweet as Misleading, He might actually file a case against @X,” Zubair wrote on X.
Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also accused Chandrasekhar of spreading falsehoods and suggested legal repercussions for his actions.
“Shouldn”t this guy be prosecuted for propagating #FakeNews? Being an IT Minister it”s even more disgraceful that he stoops to such desperate, abject lows,” Rao stated in a post on X.
Another Congress leader and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said that the forensic examination of the audio found no evidence of pro-Pakistan slogans.
“It is very clear in the audio that they have said Nasser Hussain and Syed Sahab zindabad…This is nothing but a desperate measure for the BJP to get back in the game. The party has done an audio forensic check and it is found that there is nothing like that,” Kharge told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP on Tuesday filed an FIR alleging that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised by supporters of Rajya Sabha member Syed Nasser Hussain after his victory declaration. The complaint detailed the sequence of events, suggesting a deliberate act of praising Pakistan upon Hussein”s election to the Rajya Sabha.
“In the Rajya Sabha elections held on February 27, 2024, Naseer Hussain, one of the eight contestants for the RS elections held today, and a number of supporters of Naseer Hussain had gathered near the counting area in the Vidhana Soudha in the evening. It is found that at 7 pm, the returning officer of the Rajya Sabha declared Naseer Hussain was duly elected,” said the complaint.
“After that, the same supporters of Naseer Hussain who had accumulated at the Vidhana Soudha premises at his instance suddenly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans in a loud manner while cheering for Naseer Hussain. It was as if these supporters of Naseer Hussain shouted those slogans of PAKISTAN ZINDABAD hailing and praising Pakistan on the election of Naseer Hussain to the Rajya Sabha or Upper House in India,” the complaint added.
