BJP candidate Upendra Singh Rawat drops out of Lok Sabha polls amid 'obscene video' row

BJP MP Upendra Singh Rawat opts out of Lok Sabha elections amid controversy over viral obscene video.

Published on: Mar 4, 2024, 16:24:10 IST

By HT News Desk

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BJP MP Upendra Singh Rawat on Monday opted out of Lok Sabha elections amid the ongoing controversy around a viral obscene video which he has termed fake.

“An edited video of mine is being made viral which is generated by DeepFake AI technology, for which I have lodged an FIR,” Rawat said in a social media post.

“In this regard, I have requested the Honorable National President to get it investigated. I will not contest any election in public life until I am proven innocent,” he posted in Hindi.

In the video that went viral soon after Rawat was named as BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Barabanki, a man was seen in an objectionable position with a woman.

Also Read: BJP Asansol candidate Pawan Singh withdraws from Lok Sabha race amid controversy

On the basis of a complaint by MP's personal secretary Dinesh Chandra Rawat, police lodged an FIR against an unknown accused. The FIR claims that the video was manipulated to damage the MP's reputation following his candidacy announcement.

Rawat said that as soon as "I got the party's ticket from Barabanki, my opponents did this act", claiming that the video is completely doctored.

Upendra Singh Rawat makes it 2 for BJP

Rawat's announcement comes just a day after another BJP candidate, Pawan Singh, withdrew his name from the Lok Sabha polls from the Asansol seat in West Bengal. The Bhojpuri singer-actor pulled out of the race following the allegations that many of his songs were crude and depicted women, including those from the state, in a vulgar way.

Also Read: BJP releases 1st list of 195 candidates. Who is contesting from where? | 10 takeaways

In a post on X, Singh thanked the BJP leadership for his candidature but added that he will not be able to contest from Asansol "due to some reason".

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee shared Singh's post on X and said, “The INDOMITABLE SPIRIT AND POWER OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST BENGAL.”

Former Asansol MP from BJP and current TMC minister Babul Supriyo said it was impossible that the BJP would name a candidate in their first list without taking his consent and cited "pressure" from the saffron party which prompted Pawan Singh to withdraw from the race.

"Pressure from @BJP4India on him to withdraw citing 'personal reasons!!," Supriyo, who joined the TMC after leaving the BJP following the 2021 assembly polls, said.

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HT News Desk
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