Faithful foot-soldiers of the regime, who use their television networks to further the communal agenda of supremacist forces, have been warning the nation about the infamous “Tukde-Tukde gang” ever since the 2016 student protest on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
But things got interesting when Union Home Minister Amit Shah used the term at an event in Delhi in December 2019. Shah said, “I want to say that it’s time to punish the tukde-tukde gang led by the Congress. They are to be blame for the violence in the city. People in Delhi should punish them.“
This caught the attention of RTI activist Saket Gokhale who promptly demanded information from the Ministry of Home Affairs about this allegedly anti-national group comprising student and youth leaders. But the MHA by its own official admission, knows of no such group!
Responding the Gokhale’s query, the MHA wrote back saying, “Ministry of Home Affairs has no information concerning tukde-tukde gang.”
Gokhale tweeted a copy of the response he received from the MHA.
PEOPLE – IT’S OFFICIAL
The Home Ministry has responded to my RTI saying:
“Ministry of Home Affairs has no information concerning tukde-tukde gang.”
Maanyavar is a liar.
The “tukde tukde gang” does not officially exist & is merely a figment of Amit Shah’s imagination. pic.twitter.com/yaUGjrqI4f
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) January 20, 2020
In a series of subsequent tweets, he took down the right wing for defaming pro-democracy voices and sundry dissenters, urging people to focus on facts and not state sponsored propaganda.
I’m now writing to the Election Commission to take cognizance of this.
Home Minister Amit Shah must explain why he used this term in a rally or he should apologize publicly for lying to the people & misleading them.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) January 20, 2020
It took 15 mins & 10 rupees to nail the lies of Home Minister Amit Shah on the reprehensible term “tukde tukde gang”.
I did nothing exceptional – merely used the law/system that’s available to us all.
The point? The system, as broken as it is, can be pushed to work.
(1/2)
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) January 21, 2020
The fascists can be held accountable for every word they utter. Their lies can be nailed publicly.
All it takes is 10 mins & 10 rupees.
Now imagine if 100 of us did this every week.
Imagine ❤️
(2/2)
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) January 21, 2020
This may be too little too late for people like Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid, Umar Khalid, Jignesh Mewani and many others who have all at some point of time been accused of being members of the “Tukde-Tukde gang” that is allegedly conspiring against the integrity of the nation. All of these leaders have faced hateful and inflammatory comments. They have been defamed and threatened. There has been a clear and present risk to some degree to their lives and well-being. Will Amit Shah now explain why he legitimized these jibes?