BJP video claiming Cong 'will snatch wealth’ for Muslims removed from Instagram after backlash

An animation released by the BJP’s official Instagram handle, which claimed that the “Congress will snatch wealth” from “non-Muslims” to “distribute it” to its “favourite community” of “invaders”, has now been removed from the party’s social media account. 

It’s not clear whether the BJP took down this video or whether Instagram removed it after mass reporting – the video was reported as “misinformation” and “hate speech” by many Instagram users.  

The animated video, which depicted Rahul Gandhi holding a Congress manifesto with its  cover transforming into the logo of the Muslim league, said Modi needs support from every “Bharatiya”, or Indian, because “if the Congress Party comes to power, it will snatch all the money and wealth of non-Muslims and distribute it to Muslims. Their favourite community!” 

It also showed an animation of Modi, wearing a saffron turban, and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, falsely claiming that the latter had said “Muslims have the first claim on our resources”.  It seemed to be borrowed from Modi’s April 21 speech, which carried several distortions, and whose points the PM and the BJP seem to have doubled down on despite outrage.

Similar to Modi’s insinuation of calling Muslims “infiltrators”, the video said “invaders, terrorists, robbers and thieves” looted India, “ruined our temples”, and “redistributed the loot among themselves” and “the Congress Party has been empowering people who belong to the very same community”.

The video then declared that the Congress’s manifesto is “nothing but Muslim League’s ideology in disguise. If you are a non-Muslim, Congress will snatch your wealth and distribute it to Muslims.” It also pitched the BJP’s official slogan “abki baar, 400 paar” and said it’s the “need of the hour” because only Modi has the “strength to stop” the Congress’s “evil plan”. 

Several BJP leaders have made such claims. Union minister Anurag Thakur earlier said the Congress wants to “give your children’s property to Muslims”.