A letter doing the rounds in the name of national security advisor Ajit Doval suggests that he congratulated Uttarakhand chief secretary for successfully organising Kumbh Mela while coordinating with the police and the RSS. “I am confident that your efforts would ensure religious atmosphere, help to maintain order and promote Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideology in future as well,” reads the letter. Advocate Prashant Bhushan was among those who tweeted the letter but later took it down. An archive can be accessed here.
Several other handles have tweeted the letter. (1, 2, 3, 4)
It is also circulating on Facebook.
NSA Ajit Doval asks Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand to promote RSS ideology
Posted by N D Sharma on Tuesday, 20 April 2021
Fake letter
The letter has grammatical errors which was the first hint that it may be fake. “I also appreciating that you use your past experience of Kumbh Mela officer…” is one of the sentences that should read, “I also appreciate that you used your past experience of working as Kumbh Mela officer…” The first sentence of the second paragraph is also grammatically incorrect.
ANI published a report stating that government officials have deemed the letter fake.
A letter is doing rounds suggesting that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has appreciated Uttarakhand government officials for successfully organising the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. The letter is fake and the NSA has not written any such letter: Government officials
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2021
Alt News found that PIB had debunked a similar letter circulated in Ajit Doval’s name last year.
Claim: Letter allegedly written by National Security Advisor congratulating Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh for role in handling of border situation is circulating on twitter #PIBFactCheck: no such letter has been written by the NSA, the letter is fake pic.twitter.com/XwkQeimRBL
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 29, 2020
There are multiple similarities in both these letters as highlighted below.
We found that the language used in both letters seems to be the format used by Ajit Doval. Below is a letter uploaded by several news outlets where Doval is complimenting UP chief secretary’s handling of the situation in the state post the Ayodhya verdict. Alt News cannot vouch for the authenticity of this letter.
A fake letter is circulating in the name of national security advisor Ajit Doval that shows him lauding Uttarakhand chief secretary’s efforts in managing Kumbh Mela while coordinating with the RSS.
