CLAIM
BJP spokersperson Sambit Patra shared a video of The Wire’s Senior Editor Arfa Khanum Sherwani, claiming that in the video, she reveals the strategy to create an “Islamic Caliphate” — which means an Islamic state.
Patra claimed that Arfa mentioned that Indians are only required, till the time an Islamic society hasn’t been created. He further claims that Arfa mentioned that people will have to accept Islamic religious slogans like “La ilaha illallah.”
However, in the video, Arfa can be heard saying, “Till the time we become that ideal society wherein our religious identities, religious beliefs, religious slogans are accepted, we should do an inclusive protest. These protests are taking us towards the same society, wherein we will include everyone. So, we are not compromising with our ideology. I want to reiterate that we are not compromising with our ideology, we are changing our strategy.”
The clip was shared by film director Vivek Agnihotri, former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and BJP Karnataka’s Twitter handle — all making similar claims.
WHAT’S THE TRUTH?
We found that the clip being shared on social media has been taken out of a 23-minute-long video that was uploaded by The Wire on 24 January.
The caption along with the video reads: “CAA के विरोध में देश भर में हो रहे प्रदर्शन द वायर की सीनियर एडिटर आरफ़ा ख़ानम शेरवानी ने अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम यूनिवर्सिटी में अपना स्पीच दी।”
[Translated: Anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests being witnessed throughout the country, The Wire’s Senior Editor Arfa Khanum Sherwani delivered a speech at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)]
At 15:30 minutes, she can be heard questioning that if only Muslims protest in this country with religious slogans, would the remaining country want to join these protests. “If 20 crore people (Muslims) protest raising religious slogans, will the remaining 110 crore people want to be a part of such protests?”
“In an ideal world, in an ideal Indian society everyone should be allowed, welcomed to be and to say whatever they want to say. Be it chanting Jai Shri Ram, Vande Mataram, Bharat Mata ki Jai, name of khalsa, Christian slogans. But we are not an ideal society. That’s why we have to make these protests inclusive, increase its base.”Arfa Khanum Sherwani, Senior Editor, The Wire
She does not make mention of Islamic society, as claimed, rather talks of an “ideal society.”
She further says that the fight is against preserving the basic structure of the Constitution which should be inclusive and “not a Muslim-only protest.”
The viral clip has been taken from 17:16 minutes into the video, wherein she can be heard making the statement.
The word “strategy” here has been used, regarding the involvement of people from different communities in protests. “In protests, labourers, adivasis, farmers, OBCs, upper caste Hindus who believe that there is a need to preserve the Constitution, who think about the common man, who think about the country, should come and be a part of these protests,” she said.
Arfa, in response to Vivek Agnihotri’s tweet, also shared the link to the full video.
Evidently, a clipped video of The Wire’s Senior Editor calling for secular protests is being circulated with a false claim which gives it the insinuation that, she has revealed the strategy to create an “Islamic Caliphate.”
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