A wave of controversy has hit YouTuber Dhruv Rathee after a parody account allegedly spread false information about Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter on X. The parody account, @DhruvRahtee, claimed Anjali Birla had cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam without taking it. This sparked a complaint from a relative of the Speaker, prompting Maharashtra’s cyber police to register a case. However, Rathee has vehemently denied any involvement, emphasizing that the post originated from a random parody account.
Rathee, known for his political commentary, took to X to address the situation, stating, “Hello @timesofindia Why is your newspaper’s front page spreading fake news about me? Go use your eyes to see that this alleged post was done by some random parody Twitter account. I have nothing to do with this.” He also shared a screenshot of the parody account’s tweet, highlighting its disclaimer that it is not affiliated with Rathee’s official account.
The parody account, after receiving a message from Maharashtra’s cyber police, deleted all its posts and comments related to Anjali Birla. They apologized for the misinformation, claiming they were unaware of the facts and had shared a copied tweet. Their X bio clearly states that it is a fan and parody account, not associated with Rathee’s original account.
This incident comes at a time when Rathee has been facing online harassment and threats following his video about the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, Bibhav Kumar. Rathee previously acknowledged the coordinated attempts to defame him, stating, “Fake allegations against me, daily death threats, dehumanizing insults, coordinated campaigns to defame me … I’m used to it by now.”
As the investigation into the fake message about Om Birla’s daughter unfolds, it remains to be seen what implications it will have for Rathee and the broader landscape of political commentary on social media.
