CHANDIGARH — A major political storm has erupted in Punjab after a viral video surfaced featuring BJP State Secretary and Dinanagar constituency in-charge, Renu Kashyap.
In the controversial video clip, Kashyap is allegedly heard advising workers to “get the SIR done, get 20,000–25,000 votes deleted, and get your own MLA elected.” The remarks have drawn fierce criticism from the Congress party, which has formally approached the Election Commission demanding swift action.
The Controversy & Administrative Probe
The viral video has prompted immediate scrutiny from local election officials, who are investigating the legitimacy of the recording.
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Administration Steps In: Taking suo motu cognisance of the viral clip, Dinanagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Gagandeep Singh confirmed that the administration is investigating whether the footage is genuine or digitally tampered with. A formal explanation has also been sought from Kashyap.
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The Defense: Kashyap has strongly defended her remarks, claiming the video was recorded during a private party meeting and has been taken entirely out of context. She asserted that her discussion was strictly about removing “bogus or fraudulently registered voters” and suggested the clip might have been manipulated using AI. She added that neither she nor any politician has the legal authority to add or delete names, as the process is strictly governed by the Election Commission.
Congress Demands Election Commission Intervention
The opposition has waste no time in cornering the BJP over the video, framing it as a direct threat to democratic integrity in Punjab.
“Kashyap’s statement about removing 20,000 to 25,000 votes to benefit the BJP is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process. No matter how hard the BJP tries, Congress will not allow even a single genuine vote to be taken away.” — Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Punjab Congress President
Warring has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to step in immediately to preserve a free, fair, and impartial voting environment in the state.
The Political Context: This controversy emerges at a highly sensitive time for the state’s political landscape, as the BJP prepares to contest upcoming elections in Punjab under a newly declared independent strategy, moving away from its traditional regional alliances.
