BJP Accuses Sanjay Raut of Faking Rs 500 Crore Audio Clip
The BJP claims that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut fabricated an audio clip to undermine the party's reputation and disrupt political alliances.
BJP alleges Sanjay Raut created a fake audio clip with AI to damage its image.
Raut claims the leak is due to internal BJP rivalries and demands a forensic investigation.
Maratha activist Manoj Jarange asserts the audio reveals a conspiracy to weaken the reservation movement.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has leveled serious allegations against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, claiming he fabricated an audio clip that suggests BJP officials offered Rs 500 crore to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange. This accusation was made public on Saturday, with BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban asserting that the clip was generated using artificial intelligence to further the agenda of Rahul Gandhi and create discord among the ruling coalition partners.
According to Ban, Raut orchestrated the alleged conspiracy from a location in Navi Mumbai and had been working on the audio clip for nearly two months. He accused Raut of using voice samples from YouTube to fabricate conversations, initially claiming a sum of Rs 100 crore before inflating it to Rs 500 crore to garner more media attention. The BJP believes this clip was designed to tarnish the reputations of its leaders, including Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and to instigate conflict between them and Jarange.
BJP MLC Prasad Lad echoed these sentiments, calling for Raut to be named the primary suspect in this alleged conspiracy. Lad insisted that Raut should be interrogated about the clip's creation and the individuals involved. He further claimed that the audio was scripted at the Saamana office, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena (UBT), and that Raut was responsible for conceptualizing the dialogue.
In response, Raut contended that the leak stemmed from intense competition within the BJP itself. He suggested that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should initiate a formal investigation and a forensic analysis of the audio, although he expressed skepticism about the probe's effectiveness. Raut hinted that the leak was orchestrated by a BJP MLC involved in discussions with Jarange, suggesting that internal strife between Fadnavis and Shinde was at play.
Manoj Jarange, for his part, released the audio clip, alleging it was part of a conspiracy to undermine the Maratha reservation movement. He claimed that he was being targeted for advocating issues affecting farmers and citizens. Jarange urged Fadnavis and Shinde to investigate thoroughly and ensure accountability for those involved, warning that failure to act would lead to a loss of faith in the government's commitment to justice. The audio clip, which Jarange released, purportedly features discussions about the Rs 500 crore payment and strategies to counter his political influence ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
