No, PM Modi did not 'pose with empty utensils' while serving food in Bihar's Sikh temple

What is the claim?

A photograph of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been circulating on social media. The image claims to show him posing for photographs at a langar, a community kitchen, with an empty bucket and ladle in hand. Social media users have claimed that the photo depicts him posing rather than actually serving food to attendees.

One user shared the video and commented, “There is no food in the serving spoon or in the serving pot. He is merely posing for a photoshoot to garner votes from the Sikh community in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.” Another user remarked, “Modi is serving with an empty bucket and an empty spoon.” Archives of these posts can be found here, here,  here, and here. 

Screenshots of the viral posts on social media. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts) 

On May 13, 2024, Modi visited the Takht Sri Patna Sahib, a gurdwara in Patna, the capital of Bihar. He assisted in preparing food for the langar and served it to the devotees present at the event. Contrary to claims on social media, videos of the visit demonstrate that he was genuinely serving food from the steel bucket he held, not merely posing with empty utensils.

What are the facts?

We located a video of the event on Modi's official YouTube channel (archived here) with the caption, "PM Modi pays obeisance at Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib Gurudwara." Around the 4:56 mark of this video, Modi starts serving food to people seated in a row on the floor. When he serves the person at the start of the line, a white substance can be seen in the spoon and being served onto the plate. At approximately the 5:02 mark, we see the same frame as the viral image, and shortly after that, that man is also served the same white food, presumably curd.

Starting at the 5:13 timestamp, when he is seen serving some women, the camera zooms in on the women and their plates, disproving the claim that he was merely posing with empty utensils.

A screenshot of the YouTube video showing Modi serving food at the langar. (Source: YouTube/ Screenshot)

India Today also reported on his visit and shared clips from the event, stating, "PM Modi cooks, serves langar at Patna Sahib Gurdwara." These visuals correspond with the YouTube video, showing the prime minister serving white food to the devotees.

A screenshot of the India Today report on Modi cooking and serving food at the langar. (Source: Website/ Screenshot)

News agency ANI also shared a video of Modi serving food, captioning it, “PM Narendra Modi serves langar at Gurudwara Patna Sahib in Patna, Bihar.”

The videos above indicate that the photograph was taken when Modi had just begun serving food, and most of the plates were still empty.

Takhat Sri Patna Sahib, also known as Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib, is one of the five takhats of the Sikhs. Maharaja Ranjit Singh commissioned its construction in the 18th century to commemorate the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. Modi visited the gurdwara on May 13, a day after he held a roadshow in Patna, reportedly a first by a prime minister.

The verdict

Footage from the langar (community kitchen) unequivocally shows Modi genuinely serving food to the devotees, not merely posing with an empty bucket and spoon. Social media users have circulated a photograph in which the food is not visible on the devotees' plates, leading to the false claim.