2017 statement of Rajnath Singh during Punjab election campaign is linked to the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 1, 2022
A screenshot of a newspaper article is being shared on social media claiming that BJP leader Rajnath Singh, in a recent public meeting, requested people not to assault or throw shoes on their leaders campaigning for the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. In the wake of the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, this post is widely shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Rajnath Singh requested people not to assault or throw shoes on their leaders campaigning for the upcoming 2022 elections in Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: BJP leader Rajnath Singh had made these statements during the 2017 Punjab election campaign rally in Abohar, Punjab. Following the incident of shoe-throwing at the then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh made this request to opposition party supporters in Punjab. The news article shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched for relevant sources using relevant keywords, it is found that BJP leader Rajnath Singh had made these statements during the 2017 Punjab election campaign rally in Abohar, Punjab. Several social media users shared the live visuals of Rajnath Singh making this statement in the Abohar rally. They can be seen here and here.
Following the incidents of stone-pelting on the convoy of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and shoe-throwing at the then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh while addressing the Abohar rally said, “Aapko vote na dena ho toh mat dijiye,lekin kya aap unpe (Prakash Singh Badal) lathi chalayenge,joote phekenge?” (when translated to English: If you wish not to vote for him, don’t vote, but do not throw shoes on him). ‘ANI’ tweeted this statement made by Rajnath Singh on 24 January 2017.  The live video visuals of Rajnath Singh’s speech at the Abohar rally can be seen here and here.
Aapko vote na dena ho toh mat dijiye,lekin kya aap unpe (Parkash Singh Badal) lathi chalayenge,joote phekenge?-HM Rajnath Singh #Punjabpolls
Further, Rajnath Singh said, “It pains me. Stones being thrown and the shoe being hurled, is this humanity? No matter how big our opponents may be, but everyone must not violate rule of law… Is it okay for people that someone may come and hurl a shoe at Parkash Singh Badal,, I want to ask Congress people… Sardar Badal is an elderly statesman”. Several other news websites had reported this statement made by Rajnath Singh during the Abohar rally in 2017. They can be seen here and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the newspaper article shared in the post reports Rajnath Singh’s old statement made during the 2017 Punjab Assembly Election campaign in Abohar, not related to the upcoming assembly 2022 elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
To sum it up, Rajnath Singh’s old statement during the 2017 Punjab election campaign linked to the upcoming assembly elections.