Fact Check: Rahul Gandhi pledged to replace Ram Mandir with Babri Masjid? No, viral posts are wrong
The video also went viral during Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad election campaign in April 2024.
By Sibahathulla Sakib Published on 11 Nov 2024 8:37 PM IST
Claim: The video shows Rahul Gandhi seeking votes in Wayanad by promising to replace Ram Mandir in Ayodhya with Babri Masjid.
Fact: The claim is false. Wayanad Congress Committee filed a complaint against the video and a person was arrested for sharing it publicly.
Hyderabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi joined Priyanka Gandhi on November 11 for the final day of the Wayanad bypoll campaign, pledging to transform Wayanad into a premier global tourist destination.
Scheduled for November 13, the bypoll comes after Rahul Gandhi vacated his Wayanad seat to retain his position in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, with Priyanka Gandhi now contesting for the seat.
During the campaign, a video surfaced on social media, claiming Congress released an ad showing a temple being demolished to build a mosque. An X user shared the video, alleging that Congress is appealing to its ‘core vote base’ through the video. (Archive)
The 28-second video begins by showing edited representations of the Ram Mandir being destroyed and replaced by the Babri mosque. The video ends with an picture of Rahul Gandhi requesting votes, signed for by the ‘Wayanad Congress Committee’.
A similar post on X can be seen here. (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. Wayanad Congress Committee filed a complaint against the video and a person was arrested for sharing it on social media.
Through a reverse image search, we found the video on another X account shared on April 27, 2024.
This hinted that the video is old. India had its 2024 General Elections from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases. Going by the date of its upload, the video can be considered a part of the poll propaganda among parties.
Further, a keyword search led us to a report by ANI News, titled ‘Congress lodges police complaint against 'fake video' of Rahul Gandhi circulated on social media,’ which was published on April 26, 2024.
According to the report, the Wayanad District Congress Committee filed a complaint against the video, stating it was created to mislead viewers and disrupt religious harmony. The party attached a copy of the video with the complaint, urging police action to remove it from social platforms.
We found a copy of the complaint filed by the Wayanad District Congress Committee on April 26, 2024, addressed to the superintendent of police in Kalpetta, Wayanad.
Written in Malayalam, the complaint called for identifying and taking legal action against those responsible for producing and sharing the video intentionally made to harm the Congress party’s reputation. The complaint also requested the video’s removal from social media.
Additionally, The New Indian Express reported on May 4, 2024, that authorities in Kerala had filed a case against Muvattupuzha resident Rajesh G Nair for allegedly circulating a 30-second video, which falsely claimed Rahul Gandhi sought votes in Wayanad to rebuild a mosque in Ayodhya.
The case was registered after Rajesh reportedly circulated the same viral video in a WhatsApp group.
Hence, the viral video showing Rahul Gandhi pledging to rebuild a mosque by demolishing a temple is false. The video is old and has been flagged for spreading fake claims.
