Edited video shared to claim Rahul Gandhi called Congress a ‘divisive party’

Context

Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi is traveling across 15 states as part of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ (Indian Unity and Justice March) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The march commenced on January 24, 2024, in the northeastern state of Manipur and is set to conclude in Mumbai, as detailed on the official Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra website. Numerous images and videos from the march have gained widespread attention on social media.

What is the claim?

Amid the ongoing march, a 17-second video circulating on social media purportedly shows Gandhi stating, “The Congress party has been dividing people based on religion, caste, and state, while the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has been uniting people on these very grounds.”

A social media user shared the viral video on X (formerly Twitter) with a caption, saying, “Look, the truth always comes out (translated from Hindi). An archived version of the post can be accessed here. The viral video has been shared on Instagram as well, with an archived version of that available here. 

Screenshot of the viral post.(Source:X/ Screenshot)

However, the viral video is edited. The original footage actually depicts Gandhi expressing the opposite sentiment.

How did we verify this?

A detailed examination of the video reveals noticeable edits and cuts, indicating it has been altered.

A reverse image search led us to the unedited video on Gandhi's official YouTube channel, posted on March 2, 2024. This video showcases a public meeting in Morena, Madhya Pradesh, addressed by Gandhi.

At the 0:20-minute mark in the 44-minute video, Gandhi discusses the country's ideological battle between hate and love, violence and non-violence. He remarks, “On one side, the BJP seeks to divide people by religion, caste, and state. On the other, the Congress party strives to unite everyone…”

Additionally, the transcript of Gandhi’s speech, found on the Congress's official website corresponding to the same date and event, corroborates his statements.

A screenshot of an excerpt from Gandhi's speech is available on the Congress website. (Source: Congress/Screenshot)

The verdict

Our investigation confirms that Rahul Gandhi stated the BJP has been segregating people based on religion, caste, and state, while the Congress party has endeavored to unite them. The video in question was manipulated to suggest otherwise. Consequently, we have marked the claim as false.

(Transalted by Azra Ali)