Gujarat election 2017: Days after allegedly morphed sex CDs of Patidar leader Hardik Patel heated the already tense poll climate in the state, a communal video clip doing the rounds shows how different forces are working behind the scene to exploit all means for electoral gain. In the 1.15-minute Gujarati video clip, a young girl is shown walking fearfully on a road while the Muslim call to prayer (azaan) appears to be playing in the background. The video starts with a line, reading “Gujarat ma sanjhe 7 pachhi avu thai shake chhe” (This can happen in Gujarat after 7 in the evening). The young girl is seen walking down the road with great fear and in a hurry, while her parents are anxiously waiting for her at home.
After reaching home, the girl frantically rings the door bell. He mother opens the door, while her father pats on the head. Then the girl’s mother faces the camera, saying, “Ek minute, kem navai lagi ne ke aa Gujarat ni vaat chhe?” (One minute, why are you surprised to see that this is happening in Gujarat?). After her the father says, “Bavis varsh pehla pan avu j thatu hatu. Ane avu thai shake chhe. Jo e loko avshe to.” (Twenty two years ago, this used to happen. And it can happen if those people come). At the end, the girl says, “Pan don’t worry. Koi nai ave. Kemke ahi Modi chhe.” (But don’t worry. Nobody will come. Because Modi is here). The controversial video clip ends with a saffron line in Gujarati: ‘Apno Vote, Apni Suraksha’ (Our Vote, Our Security).
No political pleader has owned the video. Pankaj Shukla of Gujarat BJP’s social media cell has denied that his party had anything to do with the video clip. Shukla told The Indian Express that there are many BJP well wishers who may have expressed their feelings in the video clip. Gujarat Congress IT cell head Rohan Gupta refrained from blaming any party for the video clip but said this could be a “surrogate campaign” of BJP as only it can benefit from this. The Congress has launched a social media campaign ‘Gujarat ne daravsho nahi’ (Do not frighten Gujarat).
Meanwhile, Human Rights lawyer Govind Parmar has written to Gujarat police and the Election Commission to stop the circulation of the video.
Sex CDs
Last week, allegedly morphed CDs showing Patidar leader Hardik Patel with a girl in a hotel room was circulated. Claiming that the video was fake, Patel had blamed the BJP for leaking such a video. “Such stunts are expected from BJP as we near the elections…I am innocent, people are trying to defame me and tarnish my image,” Patel had told media.
The chief of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had also thrown a challenge at PM Narendra Modi, saying people of Gujarat would not be fooled by such gimmicks. “PM Narendra Modi believes that the people of Gujarat will be fooled by such images, but the BJP government cannot do so…How can you invade my personal life? This is a conspiracy against me,” Patel had said at a press conference.
