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| - Fact Check: Viral video of anti-Modi protests in Varanasi is doctored
The crowd had actually gathered to have a glimpse of the PM and was raising pro-Modi slogans.
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India Today Fact Check
The viral video is edited. The audio “Hai Hai Modi” has been superimposed on the video. In the original video, people were actually heard raising pro-Modi slogans and trying to take a selfie with him.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Varanasi recently to inaugurate the renovated Kashi-Vishwanath corridor, an event that dominated headlines for quite a few days. But did the media conveniently skip protests against PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at the same time?
A video circulating on social media shows people apparently raising anti-Modi slogans as he walks down the street with Yogi Adityanath. The 25-second video also shows police trying to control the crowd.
The Hindi caption along with the video translates to, “The sold out media will not show this news.”
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the video to be doctored. The crowd had actually gathered to have a glimpse of the PM and was raising pro-Modi slogans. The audio “Hai Hai Modi” has been superimposed on the video.
The archived versions of the posts are saved here and here.
AFWA probe
On December 13, after inaugurating the mega Kashi-Vishwanath corridor, PM Modi and CM Yogi went for a sudden night inspection.
Though we did not find the exact video in circulation among these clippings, but the similar surroundings and the same clothing of the Prime Minister gave us an idea that the viral video could be of the same event.
#WATCH | Visuals from late last night when PM Narendra Modi was inspecting development works in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh pic.twitter.com/xzc1wBa2gI — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) December 14, 2021
We found that a Facebook user “Davinder Singh” had posted the same video but without the “Hai Hai Modi” slogans.
Taking this as a clue, with the help of InVID tool and reverse image search, we found that senior journalist Rohan Dua had tweeted a clearer version of the viral video devoid of any anti-Modi slogan in the background.
We noticed that while all the videos with anti-Modi slogans were posted within the last 24hours, Rohan Dua and another user “@knowthenation” had posted their videos devoid of such slogans on December 14.
“Reporter’s Diary: PM @narendramodi met random constituents of Varanasi following launch of #KashiVishwanathDham. Locals took selfies from every corner of street as he and CM @myogiadityanath walked on roads. PM will be visiting adopted village Umraha, Swarved Mahamandir today,” Dua tweeted along with the video.
Reporter’s Diary: PM @narendramodi met random consituents of Varanasi following launch of #KashiVishwanathDham.
Locals took selfies from every corner of street as he and CM @myogiadityanath walked on roads.
PM will be visiting adopted village Umraha, Swarved Mahamandir today pic.twitter.com/VIBLfdu18k — Rohan Dua (@rohanduaT02) December 14, 2021
Eyewitness account
To further confirm what actually transpired, we spoke to Sushanta Mukherjee, a local TV journalist in Varanasi, who was present during the incident. Mukherjee confirmed that the viral video is from Godowlia in Varanasi.
“It was around 12:20 at midnight, when PM Modi and CM Yogi were taking a stroll on the road from Godowlia Chowk to Dashashwamedh Ghat. The video was shot at Godowlia. Nobody raised any anti-Modi slogan. On the contrary, people were desperately trying to take a selfie with the PM,” Mukherjee said.
We then tried to compare the location of the viral video with a recent video of Godowlia found on Google Maps posted by one Vishan Chandra Goyal, a local guide in Varanasi. The structures of the buildings, billboards and other signs were a perfect match.
Therefore, we can confirm that the viral video with anti-Modi slogans is edited. In the original video, people were actually raising pro-Modi slogans.
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