MHA says no info on ‘tukde tukde gang,’ contradicts Modi, Shah

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has admitted it has no information on the alleged ‘tukde tukde gang,’ a term which has been widely used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to refer to their opponents.

In reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by activist Saket Gokhale last December, it said, “Ministry of Home Affairs has no information concerning tukde-tukde gang.” A screenshot of the reply was tweeted by Gokhale.

PEOPLE – IT'S OFFICIAL

The Home Ministry has responded to my RTI saying:

"Ministry of Home Affairs has no information concerning tukde-tukde gang."

Maanyavar is a liar.

The "tukde tukde gang" does not officially exist & is merely a figment of Amit Shah's imagination. pic.twitter.com/yaUGjrqI4f

— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) January 20, 2020

“The ‘tukde tukde gang’ does not officially exist and is merely a figment of Amit Shah’s imagination,” Gokhale said in his tweet. News reports suggest, quoting sources in the ministry, there has been no mention of the term in any report by intelligence or law enforcing agencies as well.

The term “tukde tukde gang” was coined by right-wing parties right after the February 2016 controversy in Jawaharlal Nehru University. The controversy pertained to the alleged raising of anti-India slogans on the campus, however, the charges are yet to be established.

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During a rally last month, Amit Shah had alleged the Congress was leading the ‘tukde tukde gang.’ “The Congress-led tukde-tukde gang is responsible for spoiling the peaceful atmosphere in Delhi. The time has come to punish them. Delhi people should do it,” the home minster had said.

Moreover, in the Parliament, the temple of democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had used the term while attacking the opposition parties. “Do we need that Old India where Cabinet proposals were torn in press conferences or where there are scams all over and support is extended to ‘tukde tukde’ gang,” he had said.

Earlier last year, the prime minister had attacked the Congress saying it has been standing with the “tukde-tukde” gang and joined hands with those who care less about the country and more about themselves.

After Deepika Padukone visited JNU on January 7 and expressed silent solidarity with the protesting students there, Union minister Smriti Irani too had referred to the term while slamming the actor.

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