'Doctored video': Sisodia slams Sambit Patra's clip of Delhi CM Kejriwal backing farm laws

Reacting to a video posted by BJP’s official spokesperson Sambit Patra on Twitter in which Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is seen favouring the farm laws, AAP leader and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has said that the party will take legal action. On Saturday, Patra posted a video on Twitter in which Kejriwal can be heard saying that this is the best reform in agriculture in the last 70 years, which will give the farmers the best price for their produce as they will be able to sell their crops anywhere. He also can be heard saying that farmers will not lose their land, MSP or their mandi. Patra shared the video with the caption: “Sir ji, counting the benefits of the three farm bills.” However, the video was edited as pointed out by several fact-checking websites.  

The video actually belongs to Kejriwal's interview to a TV news channel and he says in it: “The central government should come to their senses and immediately withdraw all the three farm laws. The Centre should overcome the pressure of capitalists and listen to the farmers. These farm laws should be scrapped before 26 January to avoid a confrontation.”

Reacting on the same, Sisodia said that the party will take legal action and went on to slam Prime Minister Modi. "Today not only BJP but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also lost credibility. BJP understands this very well, that is why they posted a doctored video of Arvind Kejriwal ji. We will take legal action against BJP for attempting to discredit the stand of CM Kejriwal on farmers issue by releasing a doctored/ manipulated video."

Patra, however, has not deleted the tweet till now. Earlier, as a tractor parade by farmers protesting against three contentious farm laws turned violent, Patra said those who were seen as 'annadata' (food providers) for so many days have turned out to be extremists. On Twitter, Patra also shared a video in which a protester is purportedly seen throwing away a national flag handed to him from the crowd as he climbs a pole to hoist a different flag. "Painful," the BJP leader said about the video.

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Farmers' tractor march and Delhi violence

Despite Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM)'s assurance and Delhi Police's conditions for the Republic Day tractor march, violence broke out on January 26, as the farmers entered Delhi - breaking barricades and cemented barriers, riding bikes, brandishing swords, sticks and vandalising a bus, drove tractors at full speed towards the police - leading to clashes with Delhi police. Police said that over 300 personnel were injured and one protestor died after a tractor upturned. The Delhi police have filed over 25 cases, several FIRs and arrested 19 people.

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The most shocking acts included a group of farmers allegedly led by actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu breaching the Red Fort and hoisting the 'Nishan Sahib' and the Kisan Union flags atop the Red Fort's dome and the Khalsa flag on the flag pole. Most parties have condemned the violence but questioned the Centre on the failure of law and order in Delhi and went on to demand Home Minister's resignation despite supporting the tractor march previously. Top SKM leaders like Yogendra Yadav, Darshan Pal and Rakesh Tikait - who have been named in police's FIRs- have taken 'moral responsibility' for the violence but denied involvement in Red Fort plan and said that protests will continue at Delhi borders. The Delhi Police has been praised for the restraint it showed in not firing any bullets that may have triggered casualties at a large scale, though the Opposition has gone all guns blazing, politicising the police and slamming it over intelligence failure. The police has said that the reason for the riot was the farmer leaders going back on their word and breaching the terms of protest agreed upon during their meetings with police.

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