An old two-and-a-half minute long videoclip showing Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaking to the farmers is viral. Netizens are falsely linking the video to the current ongoing Kisaan Andolan. In the clip Singh is speaking in support of farmers and can be heard saying, "he did not know about the protest, had he known, he would have come the day it started."
BOOM found that the video is over 7 years old and was filmed at Jantar Mantar, Delhi. The video had been uploaded on the official YouTube channel of the Bhartiya Janata Party. In 2013, when the video was filmed, the BJP led-national democratic alliance was not in power at the centre. It was Congress led-United Progressive Alliance or UPA that held power till 2014 general election.
Recently, in September, defence minister Rajnath Singh , following a Rajya Sabha session, had organised a press conference and said, "I am also a farmer. The Minimum Supporting Price will not be scrapped, it will be there. Farmers are being misled." Read here.
Also Read:Farmers' Protest: Old Photo Of Separatists Disrespecting Tricolour Revived
With the video clip, a claim has been made. The original claim in Hindi translates to: "Big Breaking: There is a big split in the BJP on the farmer issue! Rajnath Singh's support to farmers."
(Original text: "बिग ब्रेकिंग :- किसान मुद्दे पर भाजपा में बड़ी फूट! राजनाथ सिंह का किसानों को समर्थन।" जब कैमरा घुमाया जाता है तो हज़ारों किसान दिखाई देते हैं |)
See the posts below and their archived versions can be accessed here, here, and here.
Farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been protesting the newly legislated farm laws by the BJP led NDA government. While they have been protesting for over two months now, since November 26, 2020, the farmers unions have organised the 'Delhi Chalo' march. The march has entered into its 14th day today. Read here.
Also Read:Farmers Protest: 2018 Image Of Long March In Maharashtra Revived
Fact Check
BOOM searched for any recent speech by the minister but found none. During the search we found same video on Facebook where the user has been claiming that the video is old and from before 2014.
We then searched with 'Rajnath Singh Addressing Farmers' keywords on YouTube.
The video was uploaded by the official YouTube channel of the Bhartiya Janata Party on March 20, 2013. The original video is over 8 minute long whereas the viral video is clipped.
The video shows the minister orating in a farmers protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, where protesters had been demanding a stable income.
BOOM has been rigorously debunking fake news revolving around the farmers protest. Read the Twitter thread below.