Fact Check: Amit Shah asks for Modi’s resignation over Operation Sindoor? No, video is AI-manipulated

Hyderabad: A video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah giving an interview to Rahul Joshi, the Group Editor-in-Chief of Network 18, about Prime Minister Narendra Modi turning 75 years of age has been widely circulating on social media, claiming it shows Shah blaming PM Modi over Operation Sindoor.

Joshi, referencing Shah’s association with PM Modi for over four decades, asks the Home Minister to share stories about the PM.

Shah allegedly begins by saying he has witnessed many difficult times in PM Modi’s life, but claims this time is different. He blames National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval for the planning and strategising of Operation Sindoor and calls for PM Modi’s resignation, taking shots at India’s development and stating that the leadership of the BJP should now pass to a new leader.

Shah could be heard saying in the video, “I have seen very difficult times for Modi Ji; many crises came, but the time that has come now has never happened before. The complete plan for Operation Sindoor that Doval Ji gave us—we made a huge mistake in it. The biggest mistake was that we underestimated Pakistan. We thought we would fly our Rafales and Pakistan would not do anything. But when we heard Colonel Sophia’s press conference, the reality came out. Pakistan rained missiles down on more than 26 places. I still cannot believe how this happened. Where did Modi Ji’s India Development go? Now, only one thing is clear: Modi Ji, now just resign and go home. The leadership of the BJP should now go to a new leader. All this is what is in my heart, and now the entire public is saying it too. Enough is enough.”

An X handle, The Whistle Blower, which has been caught several times spreading misinformation, shared the video with the caption, “Indian Home Minister Amit Shah directly blames Ajit Doval and India PM Modi for the defeat in Operation Sindoor. Says Pakistani missiles hit multiple locations uncontested. Amit Shah demands resignation from Modi over failed Operation Sindoor. (sic)” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the video has been manipulated using AI.

Discrepancies in the video

We identified that Shah’s voice in the video does not match his natural voice, as the tonality and pacing are inconsistent. We also noticed a lip-sync manipulation with unnatural lip movement, indicating that the video has been manipulated.

Source of the video

We conducted a keyword search and located the original 30-minute interview shared by Firstpost’s X handle on September 19.

In the interview, Shah discusses his association with PM Modi, characterising him as a leader who exemplifies meticulous planning, grassroots connectivity and unwavering discipline.

Shah recalled their initial meeting at a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) gathering in Ahmedabad, noting that the leadership qualities he observed then continue to shape PM Modi’s approach today. He elaborated on PM Modi’s contributions to strengthening the BJP’s organisational foundation in Gujarat, his disciplined leadership methodology and pivotal decisions made during his tenure as Prime Minister—ranging from the abrogation of Article 370 to comprehensive economic reforms and the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We did not find him pinning blame on NSA Doval or PM Modi over Operation Sindoor or asking for PM’s resignation, as seen in the viral video.

We also checked the transcript of the interview published by Storyboard18 on September 21. Nowhere in the transcript, Shah point fingers at PM Modi or Doval or ask for their resignation.

Analysis of video using AI tools

We also analysed the video and its audio separately using the AI-detector Deepfake-O-meter.

For the video component, the detectors yielded scores of 100 per cent, 99.7 per cent, 99.5 per cent, and 85.2 per cent, indicating a high likelihood of AI generation. For the audio component, the detectors returned scores of 100 per cent, 88.2 per cent and 77.4 per cent, similarly suggesting artificial manipulation.