Fact Check: Did farmer leader Rakesh Tikait threaten media?
A 12-second video in which farmer leader Rakesh Tikait is threatening the media, is going viral on social media.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 30 Sept 2021 11:00 AM IST
Hyderabad: A 12-second video in which farmer leader Rakesh Tikait is threatening the media, is going viral on social media.
`"Agla target media houses hai, aapko agar bachna hai toh saath dedo, nahi toh aap bhi gaye," he is heard saying in the video.
"The next target will be media houses. If you want to survive, then support us, else you too will suffer (sic)," reads the translation.
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Fact Check:
The claim is misleading.
NewsMeter noticed the logo of the media agency of ANI in the viral clipping, and the team checked their official social media pages. We found that ANI had tweeted the video on September 28, 2021. He was addressing media persons in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
The team found the longer version of the video on ANI's official Twitter account in which Tikait is heard saying: "Those in Delhi sold off half the country by making new laws. They've sold off 182 mandis (wholesale markets) in Madhya Pradesh. Chhattisgarh won't be spared either. It's time for all of us to come together. The next target would be media houses. If you want to save yourselves, join us, or else, you'll face problems too."
The fact-checker found The Hindustan Times report dated September 28. The headline of the report reads: "Media houses next target, join us to save yourselves: Farm leader Rakesh Tikait."
According to the report, Tikait gave a statement that the next target of the government will be media houses. The BKU leader was in Chhattisgarh for Kisan Mahapanchayat at Rajim in Gariaband district.
Hence, it can be concluded a small clip has been taken out of the video and circulated with a different spin. Therefore, the claim is misleading.
