An old video of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jharkhand chief Babulal Marandi criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi is viral falsely linking it to the ongoing assembly election in the state.
BOOM found that the viral video dates back to December 2018 when Marandi was not part of the BJP.
The first phase of voting in Jharkhand was held on November 13, 2024, with the state recording 64.86% voter turnout. The second phase of voting in the state is slated for November 20 with the results to be declared on November 23. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha faces off against the BJP which is the main opposition in the state.
What did Babulal Marandi say in the viral video?
In the viral video Marandi can be heard saying, "The promises that Modi ji made in 2014 remain unfulfilled. Now they are making society fight along religious lines between Hindus and Muslims. Sometimes on the issue of cows, mosques and temples, religious convertions, and Love Jihad, People did not elect this government for this. The PM is playing a cruel joke with the poor, who will vote for such a person? Whoever votes for them is the worst. The government wants people to fight among themselves, do they want this country to become Pakistan? If Modi ji continues as prime minister, the situation in India could worsen over the next five years, leading to increased communal riots and halting the nation's progress, Who would want to see India turn into another Pakistan?"
Who shared the video?
The video was posted on X by Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan.
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
The same video was also posted by political activist Yogendra Yadav with a similar caption. (Click here to view)
FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral video dates back to December 2018 when BJP Jharkhand chief Babulal Marandi was not a member of the BJP, and was heading his own party. Marandi was then part of the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) which he had founded in 2006, and merged it with the BJP in 2022.
Video of BJP Jharkhand chief dates back to 2018
A reverse image search on the key-frames of the video showed results that it dated back to December 2018. A local media outlet - Taaza Jharkhand had posted the same video on December 14, 2018.
The caption when translated reads to English reads, "On the question of Rafale deal, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi said that no comment can be made on the orders of the Supreme Court. At the same time, he did not miss the opportunity to take a dig at the current central government on this issue. He said that the government was only asked to tell the price of the Rafale fighter jet, what secrecy can there be regarding security in this"
From BJP to JVM to BJP
Marandi was the first chief minister of Jharkhand after it was bifurcated from Bihar in 2000. Marandi resigned from the BJP in 2006 and had started his own party - Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM). He later merged his party with the BJP in 2020, and was made the head of the BJP state unit in July 2023.
