The pro-Pakistan slogans raised at a rally of Punjab minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has given fresh fodder to Pakistani media in their anti-India rhetoric. Shortly after Zee News played the video of the Alwar rally, where “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans were raised, some news channels in Pakistan broadcast the same.
Showing the video, the Pakistan news channels claimed that the sloganeering signified that common people in India wanted friendly relations with the neighbouring country. The Pakistan news anchors and journalists further claimed that it was the government and a section of India media, which were not in favour of a better relationship between the two neighbours.
Zee News has played the video prominently and even questioned the stance of Sidhu and Congress party on the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans at the rally in Alwar during the campaign for Rajasthan Assembly elections 2018. Zee News has also demolished the claims of the Congress party, which alleged that the video was doctored. Members of the Congress party launched a social media campaign and posted edited videos that omitted the part where pro-Pakistan slogans were raised.
In a bid to confirm the authenticity of the video, Zee News got in touch with the common people and journalists present during Sidhu’s Alwar rally and got hold of seven different videos of the same rally which were recorded by journalists. One local journalist came on camera to expose the Congress party and pointed out the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans were indeed raised while Sidhu was addressing the rally.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had claimed that the slogans raised were “Sat Sri Akal”, while Sidhu threatened to file a defamation suit against Zee News.
