A video is massively viral with the claim that members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) burnt a copy of the Indian Constitution. One @IncKinju shared the clip on Twitter with the caption, “At last the day has come that RSS was eagerly waiting for and what’s dangerous for the country. RSS showed its true face, chanted Ambedkar murdabad slogans and burnt the Constitution. They raised Manuvad zindabad slogans.”

[Translated from आख़िर वो दिन भी आ ही गया जिसका RSS को बड़ी बेताबी से इंतज़ार कर और जिस बात का देश को ख़तरा था RSS ने अपना असली रूप दिखा दिया और सरे आम अम्बेडकर मुर्दाबाद के नारों के साथ आख़िर संविधान फाड़कर जला ही दिया और जैसा कि ख़तरा था आख़िर मनुवाद ज़िंदाबाद का खुला एलान कर ही दिया।]

The group of men in the video can be heard chanting, “संविधान मुर्दाबाद ,आंबेडकर मुर्दाबाद ,आरक्षण मुर्दाबाद (Constitution murdabad, Ambedkar murdabad, reservation murdabad),” Other slogans that were raised are, “संविधान जलाओ देश बचाओ (Burn the Constitution, save the nation.)” and “मनुवाद ज़िंदाबाद (manuvad zindabad), SC/ST Act murdabad.”

OLD VIDEO

A keyword search “Constitution burnt” on YouTube took us to the same clip uploaded on August 13, 2018, by the channel ‘Citizens for Justice and Peace’.

“Burning the Constitution is rejecting democracy and secularism which is what India stands for. An FIR has been lodged by Akhil Bhartiya Bheem Sena against the fringe groups who burned the Constitution in New Delhi on August 10th 2018.The hooligans shouted anti-constitution, anti-Ambedkar and anti-SC/ST slogans while burning the Constitution,” reads its description.

The incident was widely reported in the media, including NDTV, Hindustan Times, The Hindu and Indian Express. According to Hindustan Times, Anil Tanwar, national in-charge of Akhil Bhartiya Bheem Sena, filed a written complaint with the Delhi police regarding the matter. “The police team found out two different organisations — Youth For Equality Foundation (Azad Sena) and Arakshan Virodhi Party — were holding the protest jointly at Parliament Street. While the Arakshan Virodhi Party was demonstrating under the leadership of Deepak Gaur, the Youth Equality Foundation was headed by one Abhishekh Shukla. After collection of evidence, three different police teams were formed to nab the accused,” the media outlet quotes deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma. Gaur was arrested in Faridabad.

None of the reports claimed that either organisation is affiliated with the RSS.

VIDEO VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA

A Facebook page ‘AMU Citizens’ shared the video with the same caption viral on social media.

आख़िर वो दिन भी आ ही गया जिसका RSS को बड़ी बेताबी से इंतज़ार कर और जिस बात का देश को ख़तरा था

आख़िर वो दिन भी आ ही गया जिसका RSS को बड़ी बेताबी से इंतज़ार कर और जिस बात का देश को ख़तरा था RSS ने अपना असली रूप दिखा दिया और सरे आम अम्बेडकर मुर्दाबाद के नारों के साथ आख़िर संविधान फाड़कर जला ही दिया और जैसा कि ख़तरा था आख़िर मनुवाद ज़िंदाबाद का खुला एलान कर ही दिया।

Posted by AMU Citizens on Monday, 20 January 2020

The clip is in fact viral on the social networking platform.

Alt News has received multiple verification requests on its official mobile application as well.

A two-year-old video of a group of men burning the Indian Constitution while chanting slogans against B R Ambedkar and the SC/ST Act is viral with the claim that the RSS was involved in the act. The video is currently viral thus giving the impression that the incident is recent. The organisations that were booked by the police were Youth For Equality Foundation (Azad Sena) and Arakshan Virodhi Party.

About the Author

Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News.