Video from Jharkhand shared as pro-Modi slogans raised during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Ram temple visit'

What is the claim?

On May 5, 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and participated in Hindu rituals. He then embarked on an election roadshow in the city, accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP's Faizabad candidate Lallu Singh.

Following the Prime Minister's visit, a video surfaced online showing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in traditional attire, surrounded by a large crowd chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Modi Modi.' The video is being shared with the claim that it depicts Gandhi's visit to Ayodhya after filing his candidacy papers for Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency.

A user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the clip, writing, “Pappu became Brahmin again after filing nominations today and went to Ayodhya! People welcomed him with Jai Sree Ram and Modi Modi chants.” 

Screenshot of the claims made online. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

What we found

Logically Facts found no reliable reports indicating that the Congress Member of Parliament recently visited Ayodhya after filing his nomination from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli constituency.

A reverse image search led us to a video report published by Times Now (archived here) on its YouTube channel, showing the exact visuals now being shared on social media. The video, uploaded on February 3, 2024, was titled “Rahul Gandhi Greeted With 'Modi-Modi' Chants As He Steps Out Of Jharkhand's Baidyanath Temple.

We also found a Times of India report that displayed similar visuals of Gandhi, albeit from a different perspective, visible at the 2.40 timestamp. The February 3, 2024, report shows Gandhi visiting the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar during his Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra (the walkathon), which reached Jharkhand on February 2, 2024. The Baba Baidyanath Dham is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. 

The report highlighted that slogans were chanted during Gandhi’s temple visit, with the crowd alternating between ‘Rahul Gandhi Zindabad’ and ‘Modi-Modi’ slogans.

Hindustan Times published several photos from his visit to the temple, showing him participating in prayers and rituals.

Rahul Gandhi photographed at Baba Baidyanath Dham temple in February 2024. (Source: Hindustan Times)

This confirms that the viral video is not of Gandhi visiting Ayodhya but of him exiting the Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand’s Deoghar in February 2024.

Our research indicates that Gandhi has not yet visited the under-construction Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which was consecrated on January 22, 2024, and later opened to the public. His visit to the temple would have made national news.

According to a report by the Economic Times, Gandhi officially filed his nomination papers for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Raebareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh on May 3, 2024. The constituency is set to cast its votes during the fifth phase of the general elections on May 20.

The verdict

The viral video is from Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand’s Deoghar on February 3, 2024. It does not show him visiting Ayodhya after filing his nomination for the Raebareli constituency on May 3. Therefore, we have marked this claim as misleading.