Acrimony around Gujarat assembly elections has stooped to a new low with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) claiming that the BJP has ‘prepared’ a young girl to file rape charge against their quota agitation leader Hardik Patel soon.

Directly alleging that the alleged morphed sex videos of Hardik Patel were made under instructions from Chief Minister and state BJP president, the PAAS leadership has claimed that the ‘morphed’ sex videos of Hardik are part of a Rs 40 crore deal with a Surat based builder who is a BJP supporter.

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The ruling BJP has, however, refuted these allegations as baseless and attributed the circulation of the video clips to a dispute within the PAAS.

PAAS convener Dinesh Bambhania alleged that 52 more such morphed videos have been prepared outside India by the two Surat-based people on directions from the BJP.

He also alleged that the PAAS has information that one young girl has been paid Rs three lakhs to file a rape complaint against Hardik, so that he can be arrested.

This allegation may have some truth in it as a small time local newspaper has already reported that Hardik might face a rape complaint from a young woman soon.

If the rape allegation against Hardik really comes through, that would be a reiteration of how the saffron forces use local newspapers to warn its detractors or instruct its foot soldiers to do the needful.

A fortnight before the Godhra train inferno on 27 February 2002, a vernacular daily here had printed a list of fashionable restaurants with Hindu and English names functioning in posh localities but were actually owned by ‘clean shaven Muslims’.

During the riots after the Sabarmati Express fire at Godhra, these very eateries were burnt down completely but later renovated with help of the same rioters as ‘sleeping’ partners in return of protection from future attacks.

Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who is facing ire in his native Mehsana seat, refuted the allegations of BJP’s involvement in the sex videos.

He said that there is a strong possibility that the sex videos were prepared by dissident PAAS workers due to their differences with the Patel leadership.