Mumbai, Oct 24 The BJP on Saturday launched a counteroffensive over the sensational audio clip claiming a Rs 500 crore payout to Maratha quota leader Manoj Jarange, alleging that Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had created the fake clip using AI to push Rahul Gandhi’s agenda and trigger a rift between the ruling allies.
Raut, for his part, claimed that a BJP MLC leaked the audio clip, a result of the “cut-throat competition” within the saffron party.
Jarange, who has denied that he received any money, said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde must go to the root of the controversy.
BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban demanded the registration of a case against Sanjay Raut if necessary, and a probe into whether he received funding from Rahul Gandhi for the alleged conspiracy.
“Sanjay Raut orchestrated the conspiracy from a war room in Navi Mumbai’s Vashi. The contract to defame the BJP has been taken by Raut from Rahul Gandhi. Raut has been consistently pushing Gandhi’s agenda over the past few days,” Ban claimed.
He further alleged that Raut had been working on the audio clip for nearly two months, using artificial intelligence to combine voice samples available on YouTube.
“Raut scripted the purported conversations at the (Sena UBT mouthpiece) Saamana’s office and initially considered an allegation involving Rs 100 crore before raising the amount to Rs 500 crore to attract greater media attention,” Ban alleged.
He claimed that the audio was designed to tarnish the reputations of BJP leaders, Shinde and Jarange, and trigger a conflict between them.
On Friday, CM Fadnavis ordered a forensic probe into the audio clip amid allegations by Shiv Sena’s Ramdas Kadam that BJP insiders were colluding with Jarange to “finish off” Sena chief Eknath Shinde.
Jarange on Thursday released the audio clip alleging that a conspiracy was hatched to silence him and weaken the Maratha agitation.
In the viral recording purportedly featuring BJP functionaries, a woman is heard claiming that Rs 500 crore had been delivered to Jarange through Shrikant Shinde, Eknath Shinde’s son and Sena MP.
Speakers are also heard discussing strategies to counter Jarange’s growing political influence in the Marathwada region ahead of the 2024 assembly elections.
Ban said that CM Fadnavis had announced an SIT probe into the matter, but demanded that investigators specifically examine Raut’s alleged role and the operations of the purported “war room”.
“There should be a probe into whether Raut had received funding from (Rahul) Gandhi in connection with the alleged operation,” he added.
Ban further claimed that the audio clip would benefit only the Congress and Sena (UBT), while damaging the BJP, Shinde and Jarange.
BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Prasad Lad too demanded that Raut be named as the main accused and “conspirator”.
“An offence should be registered, and Sanjay Raut should be the first person to be picked up for questioning. He should be questioned about how he knew how the clip was made, who made it and what went into its creation,” Lad told reporters.
He too claimed that the clip was created at the Saamana press.
“Sanjay Raut was the writer of the audio clip and conceptualised what each person should say and how they should say it. The voice-overs were generated through AI,” the MLC alleged.
Elsewhere, Sanjay Raut told reporters that Fadnavis should first get a case registered and then conduct a forensic examination of the audio clip. However, the probe will not yield any results, he claimed.
“The clip was leaked by a BJP MLC. He was involved in the talks with Jarange. The CM treated him with a lot of affection, which has backfired,” Raut said without naming the lawmaker.
Notably, Lad, considered to be close to Fadnavis, had held talks with Jarange during the activist’s fast over Maratha quota demand in August.
Raut further claimed that there was a “cut-throat” competition within the BJP, and the leak was a result of its internal politics.
“If an internal audio clip is getting leaked, then the Home Department has gone against you (the CM),” Raut said, adding that the BJP was the victim of a sting operation.
Fadnavis heads the Home Department.
Raut further claimed that the “cold war” between Fadnavis and his deputy Shinde had reached its peak. He alleged that the two could go to any length to finish each other off politically.
Speaking to the media in Jalna, Jarange claimed that a plot had been hatched against him because he was raising the issues of farmers and common citizens.
“We have revealed the things (hidden) behind the curtain. In fact, we have torn the curtain. Leaders of all political parties have woken up because of this, which is important for me. I will be going to the root of this case,” he said.
Even Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde should go to the root of this case and see that no one is spared, the quota activist added.
“Party funds” were used to defame him and the Maratha quota agitation, he alleged, without specifying the political party.
“Shinde should look into this and should not spare those involved, even if they are part of his group. If he does not act, we will believe that no caste or community should expect justice from the government,” Jarange said.
(PTI News)
