New Delhi: Congress party, on Wednesday, filed a complaint with Delhi Police against BJP Chief JP Nadda and party spokesperson Sambit Patra for propagating a "fake toolkit" on Covid-19 management.
This comes soon after Sambit Patra tweeted a document claiming that Congress has instructed its social media volunteers to 'destroy' the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by using the term "Modi strain" instead of "Indian strain" on social media.
While making this announcement during a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "Whenever someone raises his voice, BJP comes up with a toolkit, to discredit or defame them. But we are not going to remain silent. This Government is just doing diversion in the past 7.5 years from the real issues of this country. We have lodged a complaint against this forged document."
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera slams BJP Soon after Sambit Patra's tweet, Congress leader and Chairman of the party's research department, Rajeev Gowda reacted over the allegations by tweeting, "BJP is propagating a fake "toolkit" on “COVID-19 mismanagement” & attributing it to AICC Research Department. We are filing an FIR for forgery against JP Nadda & Sambit Patra. When our country is devastated by COVID, instead of providing relief, BJP shamelessly concocts forgeries."
Congress has filed a complaint to Delhi Police over the matter. The names of Union Minister Smriti Irani and BJP General Secretary BL Santosh are also mentioned in this complaint.
Read: Less than 2 pc population affected by COVID in India, 98 pc still vulnerable: Govt
Aman Pawar, who is a member of the Congress party and an advocate of the Supreme Court of India, informed that currently a complaint has been submitted and if Delhi Police would not register a complaint against the BJP leaders, then Congress will move to the apex court.
When asked if any social media platform has also been approached by the party over the matter, Rohan Gupta, Chairman of Congress Social Media Department, said, "Once FIR is registered, we will also be writing to all the heads or officials of Social Media platforms about this forged document and will ask them to take appropriate action over the matter."
"We have taken up with the police authorities so far on this outrageous behavior of BJP. We are yet to take it to Twitter and we would certainly do that. What these people have done is fraud and forgery. This is a crime which needs to be taken up by the Police," Gowda said during the press conference.
In its complaint to Delhi Police, Congress has stated, "It is stated that in delicate and tough times like this when the nation is fighting to survive against the COVID-19 virus the BJP functionaries are sharing and creating fake news with intent to create communal disharmony and civil unrest in the country, in order to divert the attention of the people from the failures of the Modi Government of handling the pandemic."
Read: Lot common in PM and PM CARES ventilators: Rahul Gandhi
"It is stated that Mr. Sambit Patra, Mr. B.L Santhosh, Mrs, Smriti Irani and Mr. J.P. Nadda deliberately created, forged and shared fake news knowingly the same is fake at such a delicate and emotional time when many families have lost their loved ones to COVID-19 virus," it further added.
Earlier Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate had also slammed the BJP leaders, saying, "There is no such document as shown by the BJP spokesperson. It is a completely fractious, concocted, forged document. We expected this from the unnamed, anonymous troll army of BJP. We never expected that a national spokesperson of BJP, or ministers or MPs tweeting this, will resort to blatant lies."
While making these allegations over Congress party, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had tweeted, "Disgusting to say the least. Rahul Gandhi wanting to use this opportunity of pandemic to destroy the image of PM Modi. Congress workers instructed to call the mutant strain as “Modi strain.” No stone left unturned to scar the name of India with the help of foreign journalists!!"
Read:Congress wants inquiry over Twitter aid to 'Sewa International'
