FACT CHECK: Did PM Modi admit that he stole in his childhood?
When I was a child I used to steal, at that time if my mother had stopped, I would not have become such a robber
By Newsmeter Network Published on 21 Jun 2021 10:49 AM IST
HYDERABAD: Several social media users are sharing a video of PM Narendra Modi where he can be heard saying: "When I was a child I used to steal, at that time if my mother had stopped, I would not have become such a robber".
Netizens claim that the PM has admitted to stealing in his childhood.
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FACT CHECK:
The claim is misleading.
NewsMeter found the full version of the viral clip. The video was taken during Modi's address to the public at Siliguri, West Bengal in April 2021. Although it was true that the same words claimed by social media users were spoken by Modi, the viral clip is misleading as it has been cropped and taken out of context.
In the video, at 39:35 minutes Modi says, "Brothers and sisters, when we were children, we all heard the story about the notorious robber who was sentenced to death. When asked about his last wish, he said that he wants to meet his mother. The government arranged for the meeting. When he met his mother, he bit his mother's nose. When people asked him why he bit his mother's nose, he replied that had his mother stopped him from stealing, he would not have become such a robber."
With this, it is clear that Modi was not talking about himself but was talking about a fictional character who was hanged because he stole.
Moreover, NewsMeter searched online for any news reports that would support the viral claim but found none.
Evidently, it is clear that the viral clip is misleading. The video was cropped and circulated with false claims.
