Video from 2016 clipped to falsely claim CM Kejriwal threatened Gujaratis

A video of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been shared on social media where he can be heard saying, “If you oppose me you will be crushed and people of Gujarat, you can do whatever you want.” CM Kejriwal has been portrayed as threatening the people of Gujarat. The clip has been shared ahead of the AAP’s roadshow in Gujarat on April 2.

में एक पक्का गुजराती हु.

और में ये खंजरवाल को गुजरात इलेक्शन में इसका जवाब दूंगा 0 सीट देके.

बाद में बोलना तूने किस्से पन्गा लिया है. 😡😡

कितने गुजराती और कितने देश भक्त मेरा साथ देंगे इस खंजरवाल को सबक सिखाने में ? pic.twitter.com/Ci5Kptt2V5

— Tanmay Patel  (@The_TanmayPatel) March 30, 2022

The video is also circulating on Facebook.

The same video was viral last year against the backdrop of the AAP’s decision to contest the Gujarat assembly polls this year.

गुजरात के मित्रों, केजरी के इन शब्दों को याद रखियेगा। pic.twitter.com/jW0B5a2Eyn

— Prashant Umrao (@ippatel) September 22, 2021

The video had been circulating on Facebook.

It was earlier shared by Surat-based MLA and BJP Yuva Morcha president Harsh Sanghavi. He wrote in Hindi, “Kejriwal ji, why such hatred against Gujarat?” Sanghavi had also posted the same video on his Facebook account. Cumulatively, his posts gained over 70,000 views.

(Hindi text: केजरीवाल जी गुजरात से इतनी नफ़रत क्यों)

केजरीवाल जी गुजरात से इतनी नफ़रत क्यों pic.twitter.com/WX8F2XQ8Ob

— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) February 19, 2021

Several users copy-pasted this text and shared the viral video on Facebook and Twitter.

Similarly, the video was shared along with Gujarati text by Facebook users Haresh Savaliya and Suresh Italiya. Their videos gained over one lakh views.

(Viral Gujarati text: જો ગુજરાતી ના પેટે જન્મ લીધો હોય તો આવા ગુજરાતી અને ગુજરાતી વિરુધ્ધ બોલ નાર ને પાડી દો…)

Clipped video of CM Kejriwal

A keyword search on Google revealed that the viral video dates back five years. The complete speech is 30 minutes long and was given in Surat in 2016.

The video was also uploaded by the Aam Aadmi Party’s official YouTube channel. The 14-second viral video has been clipped from the 14:50 mark.

Listening from the 14:03 mark, one can understand the context behind the clipped video. CM Kejriwal said, “Friends, today we know who is calling the shots in Gujarat. Who is calling the shots in Gujarat? It’s Amit Shah. For the past few years, Amit Shah has been calling the shots. During Anandiben Patel’s time [as chief minister], they had a difference of opinion on certain issues. So, Vijay Rupani was introduced, who is basically Amit Shah’s stooge. Vijay Rupani does as told by Amit Shah. So, it is a warning to the entire state from Amit Shah… a challenge of sorts that I will continue to call the shots in Gujarat. If you oppose me you will be crushed and people of Gujarat, you can do whatever you want.”

AAP also refuted the social media claim on Twitter.

આવનારી સ્થાનિક સ્વરાજ્યની ચૂંટણીમાં હાર ભાળી ગયેલું અને ભયભીત થયેલા ભાજપ દ્વારા અરવિંદ કેજરીવાલજીના વિડિઓને એડિટ કરી લોકોને ગેરમાર્ગે દોરવાનું કામ ચાલુ કર્યું છે.
જુઓ આ વિડિઓ એટલે સત્ય સામે આવી જશે

બાકી આ વખતે પરિવર્તન નક્કી છે pic.twitter.com/LGFcV8jPT4

— AAP Gujarat (@AAPGujarat) February 19, 2021

In 2016, The Hindu reported that CM Kejriwal announced in a speech that the AAP was set to contest assembly polls in 2017. As per the Election Commission data, AAP contested for 29 seats and won none. (view pdf)

Thus, a clipped video of Delhi CM Kejriwal’s speech in Surat in 2016 was shared on social media. The video suggests that Kejriwal was threatening the people of Gujarat but he was making a reference to home minister Amit Shah.