Congress serves legal notice to BJP IT cell chief for sharing ‘false’ Rahul video

Two days after BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared a purportedly fake video accusing Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of 'insulting' the national anthem at the Rachnatmak Congress convention on 13 August, the Congress has served a legal notice on the BJP leader, demanding the post be removed and an unconditional apology issued.

The BJP’s official X handle @BJP4India had shared the clip with the caption: 'Look, Rahul Gandhi has once again insulted the national anthem.' It accused Gandhi of 'disgracing' the national anthem and said the episode had exposed his 'anti-national attitude'.

Congress leaders Amrish Ranjan Pandey and lawyer-politician Ambuj Dixit served the notice on Malviya on behalf of Rachnatmak Congress head Sandeep Dikshit.

The notice sought the 'immediate removal of the content and also an unconditional apology'.

'The purpose of this Notice is not to object to political criticism or to enter into a political debate with you. Political disagreement, criticism and even strong political expression are an ordinary and necessary part of democratic life,' the notice said.

'What cannot be accepted, however, is the deliberate presentation of an accidental technical error at an event as a deliberate act of disrespect towards the National Anthem, particularly when the complete audio-visual record shows otherwise,' it said.

The notice said the national anthem was 'duly played' during the event and that Congress leaders had paid their respects. The anthem was played a second time because of a technical glitch in the audio system, it said, while the leaders were interacting with each other.

'It was only thereafter, due to an inadvertent error in the operation of the audio system, the National Anthem was accidentally played once again. Neither my client nor any other person on the dais had any prior knowledge that the audio track would be replayed inadvertently,' the notice said.

'The moment the error became apparent, the audio operator immediately stopped the playback,' it said, adding that the anthem may have been inadvertently put on repeat in the audio system.

Malviya has not yet responded to the legal notice.

A two-day convention of the Rachnatmak Congress was held in New Delhi on 12-13 August, bringing together representatives from across the country to deliberate on education, unemployment, social and economic justice, and environmental concerns.

The convention, aimed at discussing pressing public issues and shaping the Congress’s political and organisational strategy, also provided a platform for wider engagement on issues affecting people across the country.