Ram Gupta clarified that he had been lying to protect himself from the police and was a staunch follower of CM Kejriwal.
Credit: X/@theprayagtiwari
Protests are being carried out across the country to oppose the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case.
Meanwhile, a clip has been taking rounds on social media where an AAP member is seen standing next to the police and telling the media that he is not affiliated to the ongoing protest.
On being asked why he was present at the protest site, AAP's Ram Gupta answered that he had come from Noida and was there for some personal work. When the media person asked him why he was holding the 'Main bhi Kejriwal'(I am also Kejriwal) banner, he said that he had made a mistake and that is why the cop had held him.
He added that the banner was kept on the floor and he had picked it up merely to give it to someone else.
However, as soon as the cop left his side, Gupta could be heard saying - "Kejriwal Zindabad," seemingly confusing the reporter.
He clarified that he had been lying to protect himself from the police and was a staunch follower of CM Kejriwal.
Ever since, the politician has become famous online garnering both support and criticism.
"I have seen the posts on X as well as the memes. I know my video is being shared on WhatsApp. And I admit I lied, but I did so only because I was there to protest. I did not want to get detained and be dropped off in the jungles in Bawana," The Indian Express quoted a conversation of Gupta with another publication.
Gupta added that people who were detained get dropped off somewhere far from the city, and it becomes difficult to come back. "If the government can play this game in a bid to stifle peaceful protests and democracy, why should we not have a game plan," as per a report in IE.
Adding that every time he took part in an AAP protest, he has gotten detained, Gupta told the publication that earlier he used to work as a Hindi language journalist before he quit in 2013.
He believes that there is "very little space in TV media for adverse reporting on the current BJP government. Slowly, freedom of expression vanished. This is what the BJP wants…."
Gupta, who is the vice-president of the party’s Uttar Pradesh Kisan Sangathan believes that a lie that does not hurt is not wrong.