False claim: Speech by Vladimir Putin asking Muslims to integrate or leave - Alt News
Arjun Sidharth
22nd July 2019 / 9:03 pm / Last updated: 27th July 2019
The text of a speech supposedly given by Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, is being circulated on social media platforms. According to this speech apparently given at the Duma (Russian parliament), Mr Putin had firmly stated that Muslims in Russia must learn Russian and respect the laws of the land, adding that there is no place for Sharia law in the Russian society and that it is the minorities which need Russia and not the other way round. The write-up quotes Putin saying that the country’s laws should be made keeping Russian national interest in mind and Muslim minorities are not Russians. “Muslims will not take over Russia,” said Putin per the speech. It ends by stating that the President received a standing ovation in the Duma for this speech. The complete text is posted below.
👌👌👌 *Vladimir Putin’s speech – SHORTEST SPEECH EVER.* 😟😟😟😟 *you also must read & think*
*Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, addressed the Duma, (Russian Parliament), and gave a speech about the tensions with minorities in Russia:*
*”In Russia, live like Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia, to work and eat in Russia, it should speak Russian, and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law, and live the life of Muslim’s then we advise them to go to those places where that’s the state law.*
*”Russia does not need Muslim minorities. Minorities need Russia, and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our laws to fit their desires, no matter how loud they yell ‘discrimination’. We will not tolerate disrespect of our Russian culture. We better learn from the suicides of America, England, Holland, and France, if we are to survive as a nation. The Muslims are taking over those countries and they will not take over Russia. The Russian customs and traditions are not compatible with the lack of culture or the primitive ways of Sharia Law and Muslims.*
*”When this honorable legislative body thinks of creating new laws, it should have in mind the Russian national interest first, observing that the Muslims Minorities Are Not Russians.”*
*The politicians in the Duma gave Putin a five minute standing ovation.*
*If you keep this to yourself, you are part of the problem!*😡😡
👍👍Forwarding as by received.
Please do not keep this to yourself.
Keep on forwarding this to as many like mindeds as you can👍👍👍
The text has been shared by several individual Facebook users on their timelines. People of several nationalities have posted this viral message.
It has also been shared on numerous pages and groups. Moreover, Alt News found that this message has been in the social media space since 2013. According to another variant of the message, Putin had delivered this speech on August 4, 2013.
The message has been shared vociferously on Twitter as well, over the past few years.
*Vladimir Putin’s speech – SHORTEST SPEECH EVER.*😟😟 😟 *you also must read & think*
*Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, addressed the Duma, (Russian Parliament), and gave a speech about the tensions with minorities in Russia:*
— 🌷 Gagan 🌷@topcon Gs. (@TopconGs) July 14, 2019
Janie Johnson, an American author had recently tweeted a quote on Sharia law, ascribed to Putin.
Vladimir Putin: “If immigrants prefer Sharia Law, then we advise them to go to those places where that’s the state law.”
— Janie Johnson (@jjauthor) May 4, 2019
Alt News searched the transcripts and speeches section of the website of the Government of Russia for the period of August 2013 (as claimed in the viral message), but could not find a single speech to this effect having been made by Vladimir Putin. Alt News could not find such a speech for other time periods as well. Moreover, there is not a single news report related to this supposed ‘speech’, and it would be inconceivable for global media to miss such a controversial address if at all it were made.
The Russian President’s view on immigration is no secret. At the recently concluded G-20 summit held at Osaka in Japan on June 2019, Putin had criticised ‘Western liberalism’, stating that policies like immigration are hurting national interest.
In 2013, Vladimir Putin had appeared on Russia Today for a discussion with journalists, where he spoke at length about the need for Russian immigration policy to lay greater stress on the integration of immigrants of varied ethnicities into Russian culture and ethos, along with the need to respect Russian traditions and laws. Putin had said, “EU and the US are dealing with people who come from completely different countries…They [immigrants] don’t begin learning the new language for many years and for that reason cannot assimilate into the labour market…We [Russia] have a similar problem going on – but it is not as harshly felt and it isn’t as dangerous as it is in Europe or the US. When we talk about immigration, we are talking about primarily those from the former Soviet republics. Even though younger generations may not necessarily speak Russian well but somebody in the family does…We also have a common historical memory..it’s easier for various ethnic groups to integrate [in Russia].”
He goes on to add, “…but even so, we must instil in our new citizens, or those who would like to come to Russia, a sense of responsibility, we must instil in them an understanding that they have now come to another country, and they must respect our traditions and our laws, they must respect our culture and our history.”
The video of the same is posted below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgNChZrWNmI
According to the American fact-checking website Snopes, Vladimir Putin in January 2012, in his introductory remarks at a meeting of the Board of Federal Migration Service, had alluded to similar sentiments. Here, same as in the viral message, he talked about the need for immigrants to learn Russian and respect Russian culture. “We must create the conditions for immigrants to normally integrate into our society, learn Russian and, of course, respect our culture and traditions and abide by Russian law. In this regard, I believe that the decision to make learning the Russian language compulsory and administer exams is well-grounded,” read the transcript of the speech. The entire text may be accessed here.
Despite a few portions reading similar to the viral message, the President does not allude the need to keep Muslims out of the country. In this address and in his interview with RT, Putin maintains the stand of integrating immigrants and ethnic minorities into Russian society. He does not make anti-Muslim or anti-Islamic remarks.
A similar message was circulated on social media and messaging platforms, wherein it was claimed that former Australian PM Julia Gillard had asked Muslims to leave the country if they refused to adapt to local customs and traditions. Alt News’ fact-check on this false claim surrounding Julia Gillard may be read here.
Vladimir Putin has a strong and clear view on Russian immigration policy, which he has publicly expressed in the past, and recently as well. However, it may be reiterated that there is no record of the Russian President having made such a speech on Russia and its Muslim minorities, as stated in the viral message. Moreover, this message has circulated online for several years now and was fact-checked earlier by Snopes and Politifact.
Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming.
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