The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned a viral fake video involving their candidate Sunil Soni in the Raipur South Assembly by-polls. In response, a BJP delegation led by chief spokesperson Shiv Ratan Sharma, along with Ajay Chandrakar and Dharam Lal Kaushik, filed a complaint at the Civil Line police station on Monday.
In their letter to the police, the BJP delegation accused Sushil Anand Shukla, media chief of the Indian National Congress, of sharing the misleading video in an official media group. The video purportedly shows Sunil Soni embracing and kissing an elderly Muslim man on the cheeks. The BJP claims the video was edited and disseminated to confuse voters and damage Soni's reputation. They argued that Shukla’s actions violate the IT Act and requested that a First Information Report (FIR) be filed against him.
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Speaking to reporters, Sharma and Chandrakar emphasized that the Congress party had previously employed similar tactics during the Baijnath Para elections last year, asserting that the Congress is intent on disrupting the peaceful atmosphere in Chhattisgarh. They expressed confidence that voters in Raipur South would see through such attempts.
In response, state Congress president Deepak Baij acknowledged the video's content, stating that voters in Raipur South are discerning and will not be misled. "It's just a kiss now, but after the elections, there will be more," he remarked.
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Shukla further commented on the video, calling it indicative of the current political climate. He criticized the BJP for their stance against Muslims and alleged that the video was released with malicious intent, echoing concerns about past incidents that aimed to disturb communal harmony during significant festivals.
Sunil Soni countered by asserting that those responsible for creating unrest in the state would face legal consequences.
