“Sambhal Ke Baat Karna Chahiye”: BJP's Manoj Tiwari Warns Journalist For Clarifying Kanhaiya Kumar’s Doctored Video (image-X/ManojTiwariMP)
A viral video of an exchange between journalist Neeraj Jha and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has surfaced online, wherein the North-East Delhi candidate can be seen warning Jha to be “careful.”
When the journalist asked Tiwari what the key issues were for the Lok Sabha elections, the latter replied with a clear distinction: “Bharat Mata Ki Jai vs. “Bharat tere tukde honge”!”.
Tiwari was referencing the incident where Kanhaiya Kumar, the then president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), was allegedly involved in raising slogans against the country. The doctored footage went viral across news channels, labelling the student activist as “anti-national” and “anti-India.”
The journalist proceeded to clarify that the video where Kanhaiya Kumar allegedly raised anti-India slogans was later found to be doctored. Tiwari then replied that the case is ongoing and the guilty will be punished. When the journalist repeated that the widely circulated video was doctored, Tiwari insisted that the case was going on.
In a third attempt, Jha pointed out that the wife of a BJP MP, referring to the JNU alumni Sonam Wangmo, wife of Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, herself had stated on national television that the video featuring Kanhaiya was false propaganda. Yet again, Tiwari insisted that the case was underway while adding that the journalist shouldn’t become their advocate but remain a journalist.
Soon enough, Tiwari said that he didn’t want to engage with Jha again and began to move away.
Persisting nevertheless, Jha asked the BJP MP about his opinions on a recent incident where a journalist was beaten up in Raebareli during a rally conducted by Home Minister Amit Shah.
To this, Tiwari warned, “Patrakaar ko peetana nahi chahiye lekin aap jaise logon ko bhi sambhal ke baat karna chahiye (journalists should not be beaten, but people like you should also talk carefully).”
Sharing the video of the exchange, Jha wrote, “What does this mean? Can’t even speak the truth to people in power?”
.@ManojTiwariMP जी से मैंने पूछा की मुद्दे क्या हैं? जवाब दिया भारत माता की जय और “भारत तेरे टुकड़े होंगे”!
मैंने कहा सर वो वीडियो तो डॉक्टर्ड था। कहने लगे कि वकील मत बनो।
तिवारी जी को मैंने याद दिलाया कि उन्हीं की पार्टी के सांसद की पत्नी ने राष्ट्रीय टीवी पर ये बात कही थी कि… pic.twitter.com/znG1u3hTMb
— Neeraj Jha (@neeraj_jhaa) May 14, 2024
The North-East constituency will witness a high-profile clash between the BJP”s Tiwari, who has been winning the seat since the last two elections, and activist and Congress candidate Kanhaiya Kumar. The North-East constituency will go to the polls on May 25.
