Did all Karnataka voters speak in favor of PM Narendra Modi? No, this news clip is edited

What is the claim?

A minute-long video of India Today's news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai speaking to voters inside a bus in Chikkaballapur, a district in the southern state of Karnataka, is being widely shared on social media platforms ahead of the second phase of polling scheduled to be held on April 26. 

The video seems to suggest that the majority of the people preferred Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurances over Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's state benefits. In the video, Sardesai asks the public about their preference between the "guarantees offered by Modi and Siddaramaiah". 

One such on X (formerly Twitter) read, “Moye Moye moment for Rajdeep as everyone in Karnataka seems to want Modi ki Guarantee!” An archive version can be seen here. Multiple other users have shared the video with similar claims and the archived versions of such posts can be viewed here and here. 

The clip is also viral on Facebook. You can view more archived versions here and here.

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

However, the video has been selectively edited to exclude the parts where people endorsed Siddaramaiah’s government in the state.

What did we find?

A reverse image search of the screenshot from the viral clip led us to a post shared by India Today’s official account on X, dated April 16, 2024. The caption read, “Modi Vs Siddaramaiah in #Karnataka. Rajdeep Sardesai brings you the ground report.” The post included a nearly six-minute long video. 

In the video, the first woman Sardesai speaks to says she is happy with the free bus ride. The second woman also declares that she will vote for Siddaramaiah as he has given them cash benefits, a free bus ride, and has also reduced their electricity bills. People around her can be heard agreeing with her support for Siddaramaiah's government. The third woman in the video also indicates that she will vote for the Congress party. 

The next one supports PM Modi, which can be seen at around 2:00 minutes in the video. This is the portion that is now being shared. Subsequently, others in the video also express their support for Modi, citing reasons ranging from development to national security.  

Towards the end of the video, we can hear a person supporting the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) party in the state, which is in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However, one can observe mixed reactions from the public as they state, “Siddaramaiah’s free benefits are good but for the national security, we need Modi.”

Some of these voters' reactions were also uploaded on India Today's official YouTube channel as part of Rajdeep Sardesai’s show Elections On My Plate. 

Sardesai also issued a clarification on his official X account after the viral video surfaced and wrote, "The BJP IT cell has edited a video from a show which we did on a bus in Karnataka! Yes, PM Modi is hugely popular in Karnataka but fairness surely demands that you don’t edit a clip from #ElectionsOnMyPlate for your poltical agenda. Why not also show the voices who endorsed CM Siddaramaiah? Or is it a case of all is fair in politics?” 

It must be noted that when the Congress government in Karnataka, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, came to power in 2023, it initiated free bus rides for women and provided a monthly payment of ₹2000 to them. 

The verdict 

The video showed a mix reaction from people when they were asked to choose between Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. However, the portion where people endorse the Karnataka chief minister has been edited to claim that everyone supported Modi.