BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Friday took to Twitter to hit out at the “fake news brigade”. He added that the BJP, RSS and Swamy himself were being targeted.
“Fake news brigade has gone amuck with foreign Left wing Christian and Muslim owned media abroad. They target BJP Government, RSS, and me in particular for spreading Hindutva,” he wrote.
He also cited an example of such fake news that was being mis-attributed to him. “One fake quote is that I had declared Muslims are not equal to Hindus under Art.14,” Swamy said.
Fake news brigade has gone amuck with foreign Left wing Christian and Muslim owned media abroad. They target BJP Government, RSS, and me in particular for spreading Hindutva. One fake quote is that I had declared Muslims are not equal to Hindus under Art.14.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 17, 2020
The allegation can perhaps be traced back to a VICE interview that Swamy game to Isobel Yeung. A clip from the video was published on their YouTube channel on April 1.
Since then it has been shared by many including Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who wrote on Twitter about the “RSS inspired BJP leadership”, drawing a parallel with Nazi Germany and the persecution of Jews.
Coming back to the video, let us take a look at exactly what Swamy had said, and whether his current tweet is indeed accurate. While we will delve into the social media reaction to his post towards the end of this article, it must be mentioned that not everyone agreed with Swamy’s latest tweet, and have brought up the VICE interview. Some however have countered that it may be a heavily edited clip, that may have been taken out of context.
“Article 14 guarantees equality of equals,” Swamy can be heard saying in the footage. When asked by Yeung whether everyone was ‘equal’, he added that such was not the case.
“All people are not equal,” Swamy clarified.
Yeung’s next question, asking whether Muslims deserved equal rights in this context, Swamy explained further. “There’s no such thing as equal rights…they are not in an equal category,” he said.
Twitter is at present divided over Swamy’s tweet. While many have tweeted their support and admiration as the way he has set the misinformers straight, others were quick to remind him of his words.
“You said it to the VICE news correspondent. It’s there with video evidence,” wrote one Twitter user.
Take a look at some of the Twitter reactions:
: Today D/W German TV is doing this through Indian ? Journalist.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 17, 2020
We have heard you on many forums. No need to give clarification https://t.co/foafeX6faj
— Abhinav (@Abhinavkumar70) April 17, 2020
You, fuxktard. You said it to the VICE news correspondent. It’s there with video evidence. Who are you trying to fool, you fuxkface.
— AK Parmar (@parmar06081977) April 17, 2020
A doctored VICE interview of @Swamy39 has spread like wild fire.
People made decisions based on 1 min clip that too with clear edits, and lot of edits a lot of edits. https://t.co/5OqYQsvozG— Milind Singh (@singh__milind) April 17, 2020
Why is everyone doing this to such an Innocent Person ???? https://t.co/ARtIES5pvx
— Anurag (@anuragteddy) April 17, 2020
Dear Dr. Swami, please do not lie. The respectable person like you have said in below interview that Muslims are not equal and even not in equal category. You mis-interpreted article 14 of constitution as well. We continue to fight against bigotry and hatred spread by you. https://t.co/ofr8w4pxhe pic.twitter.com/8ebnkoI7oA
— Syed Masih (@MohdMasih3) April 17, 2020
Indian Muslims are equal to Hindus under Article 14, but Muslim illegal immigrants from Islamic nations cannot claim equality under Art14 by virtue of their being NOT Indian citizens. The Indian Constitution applies ONLY to Indian citizens. https://t.co/UAxVWCDqf4
— Jyotsna (@PplOfIndia) April 17, 2020
Why can’t the Govt ban such fake news brigades. https://t.co/OkwKPlKwSm
— Acharya (@Acharya42438008) April 17, 2020