Karnataka Congress Legal Cell Files FIR Against Ajeet Bharti; YouTuber Accused Of Propagating 'Fake News'

Karnataka Congress legal cell filed a First Information Report (FIR) on Saturday (15 June) against journalist Ajeet Bharti for saying that Rahul Gandhi claimed to remove Ram Mandir and bring back Babri.

This comes after Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair shared a clip from Bharti's old video and said, "When did Rahul Gandhi say in any of his speeches that Ram Mandir would be removed and he would bring back Babri Masjid?"

Zubair further alleged, "They repeatedly spread disinformation because they know they are protected by BJP and the opposition will not take any action against them."

After this provocation of action, the FIR was filed by the Karnataka Congress in Bengaluru, where the Congress is in power under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The FIR is lodged under sections 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections which are for attacking religion and sharing rumours and alarming news respectively.

In his defence, Bharti said that he was quoting former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam, who last month claimed that Rahul Gandhi said so in a close meeting with his close aides.

"If our government is formed, then we will form Superpower Commission and change the Ram Mandir verdict, just like (former PM and Rahul's father) Rajiv Gandhi changed the Shah Bano verdict," Krishnam quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying.

Krishnam recalled that he was in Congress for more than 32 years and this statement was made by Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides, on the advice of his "well-wisher living in America."

Most probably, Krishnam was referring to Sam Pitroda, who lives in USA and is considered close to Rahul Gandhi. Pitroda was in controversy recently for racist remarks against Indians and praising the US inheritance tax.