Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Calls Letter to Sonia ‘Fake’, Media Misreports

Several media outlets falsely claimed that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind wrote a letter to Sonai Gandhi warning Congress of forming an alliance with Shiv Sena.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

Several media outlets shared a letter addressed to Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi allegedly issued by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind which warns Congress of forming an alliance with Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

The letter allegedly signed by Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, reads: “I want to draw your kind attention regarding Maharashtra’s bad politics, and it’s really unfortunate that you are considering to support Shiv Shena. It will be very dangerous and harmful step for Congress party. (sic)”

The media outlets that shared the letter include Times Now, ABP News, OpIndia.

Times Now aired a bulletin on 18 November that had the letter.(Photo Courtesy: YouTube/ Screengrab)

ABP News aired a bulletin on 18 November claiming that the organisation has written to Sonia Gandhi.(Photo Courtesy: YouTube/ Screengrab)

ABP News aired a bulletin on 18 November claiming that the organisation has written to Sonia Gandhi.(Photo Courtesy: YouTube/ Screengrab)

(Photo Courtesy: Website/ Screengrab)

Several social media users shared the letter on Facebook and Twitter.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Screengrab)

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/ Screengrab)

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ Screengrab)

WHAT’S THE TRUTH?

The media officer of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind told The Quint that the letter in circulation is fake. “The organisation has not written any letter to Sonia Gandhi. The letter which is being shared on social media is being falsely attributed to the organisation,” he said.

Further, the organisation took to Twitter and said that it has not issued any such letter.

Nationalist Congress Party Chief Sharad Pawar met Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi on Monday, 18 November, to discuss the possibility of formation of a government in Maharashtra.

After the meeting, Pawar said that they had no discussion about government formation in Maharashtra.

The NCP is in talks with ally Congress for a possible alliance with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena after its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party fell apart over the chief minister's post.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)

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