Hardik Patel: Dirty politics behind the sex tapes?

An alleged sex video of pro-Patel reservation crusader Hardik Patel has been doing the rounds on social media and was sent to all media organisations recently. While it is extremely unlikely that the video is of Hardik Patel, this is not the first time that leaders who have gone against the establishment or tried to disturb the apple cart have been defamed by sexual slur.

Sanjay Joshi:

Sanjay Joshi was the link between RSS and BJP in Gujarat. Increasingly, he was becoming a threat to the ruling leadership in Gujarat with his sound organizational skill. In 2005, a sex video was leaked that virtually rocked Sanjay Joshi’s political career. RSS did get him back in their fold in 2007, but he never regained his old clout. Sanjay Joshi currently remains a lonely figure, brutally shorn of his past prominence.

Sanjeev Bhatt:

IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt has had a history of taking on the Gujarat government post the 2002 riots. He has been serving suspension from 2011. On August 14, 2015 , he was served a show-cause notice to explain his alleged relationship with an unknown woman. The show-cause was given on the basis of a sex video leaked online. Bhatt on his part categorically denied that he was in the video and asked for a detailed probe to clear his name. Bhatt has been now expelled from service.

Digvijay Singh:

Digvijay Singh has had a habit of getting under the skin of his opponents. He is one of the most outspoken Congress leaders who has never backtracked from speaking his mind. Some time ago, pictures of Digvijay Singh with a much younger lady flashed on social media. It caused much embarrassment to the veteran Congress leader. However, going by his outspoken nature, the pictures have not dented Digvijay’s stature too much.

Abhishek Manu Singhvi:

During the worst phase of UPA rule, Abhishek Manu Singhvi was one spokesperson who was articulating Congress’ views very ably. Point by point, he was puncturing holes in the opposition’s claim about how inept the UPA government was. Then suddenly out of the blue, an MMS purportedly of Singhvi caught in a compromising position surfaced. Congress had to temporarily withdraw him from appearing on TV. He is back now, but Congress is no longer in power too.

Are all these merely coincidental or is there a larger force behind it? We will probably never know, but it is intriguing nonetheless.