On the eighth of September 2023, a recent controversy surrounded the Congress authorities in Karnataka. BJP leaders Tejasvi Surya and Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to Twitter to put up a screenshot of a newspaper advert which spoke a couple of scheme by the Karnataka authorities which was meant particularly for the minority communities. It seems that the commercial was not positioned by the government however a non-public organisation referred to as AR-Raheem Trust.
The commercial for the scheme
As per an commercial hooked up by the minister in his tweet, a subsidy of fifty% of the car’s worth with a most of fifty% is being supplied to non secular minorities to buy Auto Rikshwas, Taxis and Goods automobiles. The Swavalambi Sarathi Scheme was launched by Karnataka Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan final month.
Taking to X, Minister Chandrashekhar mentioned that the scheme is supposed completely for the non-Hindus retaining even the financially disadvantaged Hindu communities out of it. The union minister mentioned that it’s a brazen discrimination and violation of Article 14 of the Constitution from a celebration that goes overseas and talks of Bharat’s structure being below menace. He referred to as it “State sponsored Conversion inducement”.
He referred to as the scheme an ‘example of shameless, lazy, appeasement politics of bribing certain communities by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress in Karnataka.’
Rajeev Chandrashekhar mentioned, “Shameless bribing of a community by using public resources meant for All Kannadigas. Brazen discrimination & violation of Art 14 of the constitution from a party that goes abroad and talks of Bharat’s constitution being under threat. State-sponsored Conversion inducement. This is the appeasement and corrupt politics of Dynasts of UPA/I.N.D.I alliance.”
On the eighth of September itself, the same old suspect, Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of AltNews and dog-whistler-in-chief, tried to “fact-check” Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Tejasvi Surya. It is pertinent to notice right here that AltNews and Mohammad Zubair are formally partnering with the Karnataka authorities to ‘fact-check’ information. This intimation was given by Priyank Kharge – Minister within the Karnataka authorities.
Union Minister @Rajeev_GoI and BJP MP @Tejasvi_Surya are deceptive their followers by communalising the welfare schemes. This is ‘Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme’. The same scheme was accessible below Karnataka BJP govt too. But each the BJP MPs don’t need you to know!
Pic : 2 & 3… pic.twitter.com/pBYCbqZ1Hw
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 8, 2023
Mohammad Zubair made the next claims in an try and fact-check Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Tejasvi Surya:
He claimed that the 2 leaders had been communalising the scheme and that the scheme was accessible for SC/ST as properly.
SC/ST can get 75% or a max subsidy quantity upto 4 lakhs.
Minorities are eligible for 50% or a max subsidy quantity upto 3 lakhs.
That below the BJP there was an identical scheme and subsequently, Chandrasekhar and Surya had been spreading misinformation.
AltNews’ Zubair has a penchant for spreading selective info and misinformation to drive his agenda residence. Interestingly, that is precisely what he did on this case too.
In one in every of his tweets, Zubair mentioned: “• Unemployed youth from SC/ST, Minority (Muslims, Christians, Jains, Parsi, Buddhists) are qualified for this scheme. • SC/ST can get 75% or a max subsidy amount upto 4 lakhs. • Minorities are eligible for 50% or a max subsidy amount upto 3 lakhs”.
To make his level, Zubair attacked two screenshots detailing the eligibility standards for this scheme. Zubair relied on these screenshots as in the event that they had been official intimations from the federal government, nonetheless, because it seems, the web site is a privately run and owned web site which has nothing to do with the federal government in any respect.
The About Us web page of ‘districtsinfo’, the location from which Zubair took the screenshots, claims that it gathers info from ‘other sources’ together with Wikipedia.
Districtsinfo web site
This article that Zubair is utilizing for his fact-check was revealed on the nineteenth of August 2023 – properly after the Congress govt got here to energy in Karnataka. On that date, this web site’s Twitter deal with was posting Amazon advertisements for air fryers and induction cooktops. They frequently and virtually completely put up Amazon advertisements for numerous merchandise – together with ladies’s put on and footwear.
DistrictsInfo web site’s Twitter deal with
It is moderately evident that by no measure if the web site dependable, definitely not for “fact-checking”. The info, nonetheless, is just not utterly unsuitable.
According to the Congress authorities funds, this certainly was the scheme which was introduced by the federal government. However, there was very important info that not solely the random web site however Zubair neglected, deliberately or not, is left to the discretion of the reader.
Here is what Mohammad Zubair neglected
When one searches for info on the ‘Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme’, one reaches the official web site of KMD – the Karnataka Minority Department.
On the web site itself, there may be particular details about the scheme which is to profit minority communities.
Government web site
Karnataka govt web site
The web site clearly says that the applicant ought to belong to a spiritual minority group to use for this scheme. This scheme is now stay from the Minority Department as evidenced by the “apply online” lively button.
Now, one can argue that since that is the Minority Department web site, it will replicate info just for minorities. We checked the web site of the social welfare division to see if the scheme had been made lively for the SC/ST class as was introduced by the Karnataka authorities in its funds.
On that web site, no scheme referred to as ‘Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme’ has been mirrored and there’s no place to use on-line for it both.
When OpIndia spoke to the social welfare division, we had been categorically informed that the scheme might be availed solely by the minority group and never by the SC/ST group.
FIR towards Sudhir Chaudhary for asking ‘what about Hindus’ in Karnataka scheme: What occurred, Zubair’s deceptive claims, Priyank Kharge’s menace and extra
My reporthttps://t.co/mXgZBlJQqW
— Nupur J Sharma (@UnSubtleDesi) September 13, 2023
While it’s true that the Karnataka authorities had introduced this scheme in its funds for minorities and the SC/ST group, it will seem from the given info that the scheme has been launched up to now just for minorities however has not but been notified for the SC/ST group in any respect. It is clear that the SC/ST group can solely avail advantages of the scheme after the scheme has been notified to them and up to now, that doesn’t appear to have occurred.
Aaj Tak’s Sudhir Chaudhury did a present on the twelfth of September the place he confirmed that the top of Ambedkar Development Corporation, P Nagesh, additionally mentioned that this scheme is just not relevant to the SC/ST group but and dialogue to make it accessible to them is ongoing. He additionally confirmed that the notification to increase the scheme to SC/ST has not been issued by the federal government but.
Therefore, whereas Mohammad Zubair relied on a random web site busy promoting Amazon merchandise, there may be ample proof that whereas the Congress authorities in Karnataka introduced that this scheme could be relevant for minorities and the SC/ST group, the federal government has began implementing the scheme for minorities however not the SC/ST group but.
In one other tweet, Mohammad Zubair made one other deceptive declare. Zubair tweeted, “There was a similar scheme under BJP govt. Here are a few old tweets by the Department of Minority @DOMGOK, “Each beneficiary will receive a 33% subsidy on vehicle value, up to a max of Rs. 2.5L under this scheme for purchasing auto rickshaw/taxi/goods vehicle””.
Tweets by Department of Minority Welfare of Karnataka
Zubair once more well revealed selective info to make sure that the complete image was not obvious.
It is certainly correct {that a} comparable scheme was lively below the BJP authorities as properly. There is a 2021-2022 add by the Minorities Department of Karnataka detailing how a lot subsidy was given for the acquisition of automobiles as much as thirty first March 2022. According to the standing report, there have been 1,333 automobiles subsidised by the Minority Department.
Govt standing report
However, the screenshots put up by Zubair had been deceptive as a result of the BJP authorities had put this scheme on maintain in 2022.
Here is what occurred:
One of the screenshots that Zubair put up was a reply by the Department of Minority Affairs of Karnataka. The reply was dated seventeenth October 2022. In the reply, the division says, “Each beneficiary will receive a 33% subsidy on vehicle value, up to a maximum of Rs. 2,50,000/-, under this scheme when purchasing an auto rickshaw/taxi/goods vehicle. If the vehicle is still being paid for with a bank loan, the bank letter must be submitted. (1/1)”.
2022 response by DOMGOK utilized by Mohammad Zubair
If one notices, the response by DOMGOK is numbered 1/1. If one was an actual fact-checker, one would verify why the tweet was numbered and if there’s a second, comply with up tweet that makes the image clearer.
Zubair posted ONLY this screenshot and never the second tweet in the identical response.
The full response by DOMGOK which Zubair refused to tweet
In the second tweet of the identical response, that Mohammad Zubair appears to have intentionally neglected, the Department of Minority Welfare clearly says that the scheme is “CURRENTLY INACTIVE”.
The tweets are nonetheless there on their Twitter deal with.
And Direct Loans for Businesses/Enterprises. Visit https://t.co/p8TE5utXnM for extra info. Tackling minorities’ slums falls below 11 Municipal Corporations, that are solely capable of present primary facilities. (2/2)
Regards.#KarnatakaMWD
— Department of Minority Welfare, Govt of Karnataka (@DOMGOK) December 11, 2022
Zubair put up one other screenshot from December 2022.
Another tweet utilized by Zubair
Given that within the October response, the Department had already mentioned that the scheme was inactive, within the December response, the division says that the KMDC “WILL IMPLEMENT” this scheme – this solely goes to indicate that the scheme was inactive this far until that time.
It is subsequently evident that Zubair first selectively used one tweet response by the KMDC intentionally leaving out the opposite (which mentioned that the scheme was inactive) and used one other screenshot to mislead his readers.
It can be evident that when the Congress authorities got here to energy in Karnataka in May 2023, the scheme was nonetheless inactive and subsequently, it was certainly the Congress govt in Karnataka which repackaged this scheme and launched it once more of their funds. In the funds, whereas they introduced the scheme for minorities and SC/ST, it’s, as of writing this text, solely being applied for minorities and NOT for the SC/ST group.
Now, it’s completely potential that there are different comparable schemes which are prolonged to SC/ST and OBCs as properly, nonetheless, the topic is concerning the Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme. This explicit scheme appears to not be relevant to SC/STs as claimed – a minimum of up to now.
For instance, there may be one other scheme by the Karnataka authorities referred to as Airavatha Scheme which companions with OLA and Uber to facilitate rural youth from SC/ST group to get sponsored automobiles. However, it isn’t the identical because the Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme. While this companions with Radio Taxi firms, the Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme appears to be accessible to all minorities. Also, the declare was by no means that the Karnataka govt has no schemes for SC/ST however that the Swawalambi Sarathi Scheme is supposed just for minorities.
The FIR on Aaj Tak’s Sudhir Chaudhury, Priyank Kharge, faux information, lies and Mohammad Zubair
While Zubair began spreading deceptive info, Priyank Kharge, who likes to name Zubair ‘Chief’, proceeded to get an FIR filed towards Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Choudhury for merely reporting what was obviously evident.
Sudhir Chaudhury had finished a present during which he spoke about this scheme and the way it was being applied for minorities and never Hindus. As quickly because the video was out, Priyank Kharge, who has just lately additionally made anti-Hindu statements, tweeted that Sudhir was spreading misinformation and he would take authorized motion towards the anchor.
The anchor of @aajtak is intentionally spreading misinformation on Government schemes which was first began by BJP MPs & is being amplified by sections of media.
This is deliberate & malicious, Govt might be taking crucial authorized motion pic.twitter.com/nD5FuAf3nu
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) September 12, 2023
At 11:36 PM, Mohammad Zubair, Priyank Kharge’s “CHIEF’, was the primary to tweet that an FIR had been filed towards Sudhir Chaudhury.
FIR registered in Sheshadripuram Police station, Bengaluru towards News Presenter Sudhir Choudhary and Aaj Tak.
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 12, 2023
In his defence, Sudhir Chaudhury did one other present the place he confirmed the next:
In the funds, Congress had certainly introduced that the scheme could be accessible for minorities and the SC/ST communities
The advert within the newspaper and the Congress govt’s personal Karnataka web site proves that the eligibility requirement for the scheme is that one ought to belong to the minority group.
The applicability of the scheme for the SC/ST group has not been notified but.
This was confirmed to Aaj Tak by the Managing Director of the Ambedkar Development Corporation.
Therefore, as of now, the scheme is certainly relevant ONLY for minority group.
It is pertinent to notice that NONE of those info have been tweeted by Mohammad Zubair but.
In truth, when these info had been being articulated by Sudhir Chaudhury, that is what Zubair was tweeting:
YouTube stay video of Sudhir Choudhary is not accessible on Aaj Tak Channel now. Reason? 🤔 https://t.co/mFydT0CMen pic.twitter.com/y6I5OWLeBl
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 12, 2023
The self-proclaimed fact-checker who Priyank Kharge calls “CHIEF” and has collaborated with in an official capability to “fact-check” info, clearly has paltry regard for info and the reality. In this case, it’s completely potential that the Karnataka authorities would make good on its announcement and notify the scheme for SC/ST as properly, nonetheless, at this level, it’s a proven fact that the scheme is simply relevant to the minority group. In that respect, there was no misinformation unfold by Sudhir Chaudhury or different media homes, but, the Karnataka authorities has proceeded to file an FIR towards the anchor as a substitute of conceding to info.
If certainly the scheme was relevant to SC/STs and never solely the Ambedkar Development Corporation (which Aaj Tak spoke to) but in addition the Social Welfare Department (which OpIndia spoke to) had been mendacity, then Kharge, as a substitute of submitting an FIR, ought to have made public the notification which makes the scheme relevant for SC/STs as properly. Failure to do this, the info at hand, the lies and misinformation unfold by Zubair and the next FIR on Sudhir Chaudhury solely proves that the Congress authorities in Karnataka is allying with a serial faux information spreader to persecute journalists who refuse to toe their line and ask pertinent inquiries to the Congress authorities.
