A video montage of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi is doing rounds on social media with the claim that with Amit Shah being the Home Minister, he is now pleading for help. Akbaruddin is the leader of opposition in Telangana assembly and the younger brother of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.
The viral post is a collage of two videos the first of his controversial statements from 2013 threatening Hindus and the second in which he is seen praying for the well-being of Muslims. The second video is claimed to be from 2019.
But the reality seems to be different as the second video is actually from 2014, much before Amit Shah became Union Home minister. Akbaruddin was praying for Palestinian and Indian Muslims before Iftaar at an event in Mumbai.
Information on the video
A Facebook page named ModiNama uploaded this video with a caption in Hindi that translates to, What has happened since Amit Shah became Home minister?
In the second video, it is well seen that Akbaruddin is seen holding up his hands and in a pleading voice says, “O Allah! Bless and protect the Muslims of India. We are upset. Please listen to our prayers. We don’t have any strength and we are turning to you.”
In the viral video, interspersed with Akbaruddin’s voice, are voices of other people saying, Ameen? Till the filing of this story, the post was shared more than 8,000 times.
The first video from 2013 is true and a case was registered against Akbaruddin for making an inflammatory speech. He was also sent to jail. There are multiple news reports on the Internet regarding the incident.
Therefore, after taking a frame from the second video and doing a reverse search the video took us to some pages such as 4tvHyd.com which said the video was from Akbaruddin’s Maharashtra visit in 2014. The news clipping states that Akbaruddin had visited many places in and around Mumbai. He had also sought permission to hold an Iftaar at Haj House but was denied, and therefore, he held it at a hotel in Mumbai Central.
Multiple videos can be found of the event wherein Akbaruddin is seen praying right before breaking fast during Ramzan in July 2014. Those very persons, seen sitting next to Akbaruddin in the viral video, can be seen in these videos as well.
Amit Shah became the Home Minister of India on June 1, 2019. After news organisations reached out to Akbaruddin he confirmed, Both these videos are old. He said, “In the second video, I was only praying before Iftaar in Mumbai.”
Therefore, it is clear that both the videos in the viral post are old and have nothing to do with Amit Shah becoming Home minister in 2019.
