Mumbai, Oct 24: Alleging that Rahul Gandhi is behind a “contract” to defame the BJP, the saffron party on Saturday accused Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut of creating an AI-generated audio clip mentioning a “Rs 500 crore” payout to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.
The BJP claimed the alleged operation was aimed at triggering a rift among the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Jarange, while politically benefiting the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT).
BJP chief spokesperson Navnath Ban demanded the registration of a case against Raut, if warranted, and a probe into whether the Sena (UBT) MP received funding from (Rahul) Gandhi in connection with the alleged operation.
“Sanjay Raut orchestrated the conspiracy from a war room in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi. The contract to defame the BJP has been taken by Raut from Rahul Gandhi. Raut has been consistently pushing Gandhi’s agenda over the past few days,” Ban told reporters here.
He alleged that Raut had been working on the audio clip for nearly two months, using artificial intelligence to combine voice samples available on YouTube.
“Raut had scripted the purported conversations at the ‘Saamana’ newspaper’s office and initially considered an allegation involving Rs 100 crore before raising the amount to Rs 500 crore to attract greater media attention,” Ban alleged. ‘Saamana’ is the Marathi mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by Uddhav Thackeray.
Shiv Sena MP Shinde dismisses ‘Rs 500 crore’ allegation
In his first reaction to the viral ‘Rs 500 crore’ audio clip, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Saturday denied that he had received any money meant to be paid to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.
Even he was searching for the person who had been allegedly given to the money to pass on to him, said Shrikant, son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
“I am also looking for the man who was given Rs 500 crore….The money did not even reach me. I have the same question as Jarange,” Shinde told reporters.
“We were wondering how would (a stash of) Rs 500 crore look and how many vehicles it would need (to transport),” he jokingly added. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a probe which will make everything clear, the Sena MP said.
Audio clip genuine, says Jarange; urges CM, Shinde to go to root of controversy
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde must go to the root of the audio clip controversy and not spare anyone involved in the matter, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange said on Saturday.
Amid the sensation created by the ‘Rs 500 crore’ clip, he averred that it was genuine, and said Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam should be questioned in the case.
“Those from the camps of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis are encouraging people to defame us”, he said. (PTI)