Viral Video Of Samajwadi Party MLA's 'Muslim Population Rising' Remark Fake (image-screengrab/Shehzad_Ind)

News presenter Rahul Shivshankar came under fire for spreading misinformation. A video clip of Samajwadi Party MLA Mehboob Ali allegedly saying that the population of Muslims is increasing and the BJP rule will come to an end soon went viral after news presenter and editor-in-chief Rahul Shivshankar reported the alleged incident on News18.

Several prominent media agencies, including the Times of India, NDTV, and The Indian Express, among others, also picked up the story after the video was shared by multiple right-wing accounts on social media platforms.

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The purported clip from the party’s Samvidhan Maan Satambh event held in Bijnor on Sunday

An FIR was even lodged against the former cabinet minister and Bijnor party chief Shaikh Zakir Hussain on Monday by Bijnor police under sections 196(1) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita (BNS).

The party legislator’s remarks drew triggered severe backlash from the BJP leaders as well.

Busting the spread of fake news, fact-checker Mohammed Zubair revealed that the viral clip was a cropped video taken out of context. In the full video of the speech, the Amroha MLA can be clearly heard stating, “Everyone of is PDA (Pichde, Dalit, and Alpashankhak), Everyone wants Aman and Shanti (peace) in the nation. Everyone wants to live together; nothing is above the peace of all of us (PDA).”

Ali also highlighted that a few (right-wing organisations) claim that the Muslim population is increasing. “They will tell this in your ears; they will come with Jhola and say, ‘Beware. In the coming days, your rule will be over as the Muslim population is increasing, and they’ll come in power’.”

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He further said that even the Mughals couldn’t rule the entire country despite ruling for 850 years. “Today people (referring to the BJP) who are misleading people and ruling the country, remember, Indians have woken up. 2024 Parliament results gave you the answer. In 2027, you will definitely go, and God willing, we will (the Samajwadi Party) come back to power.”