Fact Check: Edited Video Of Rahul Gandhi’s Response To Questions On Violence And Non-Violence In India Going Viral

New Delhi Vishvas News – A video clip featuring Rahul Gandhi has been circulating widely on social media, depicting him pausing for an extended period while responding to a question. By circulating the video, it is being claimed that during a public appearance, Rahul Gandhi struggled to provide an answer.

Upon investigation, Vishvas News discovered that the viral video clip had been edited and manipulated. It originates from an event held at Cambridge University during Rahul Gandhi’s visit to London a year ago. In this event, Rahul Gandhi was a speaker, and during a discussion about violence and non-violence in Indian society, he paused briefly before responding. He composed himself and then proceeded to share his sentiments while referring to the assassination of his father Rajiv Gandhi. The viral video clip excludes his subsequent response, misleading viewers into believing he couldn’t answer the question posed to him.

What’s Going Viral?

Many users have requested to tell the truth by sending videos related to this incident on Vishvas News tipline number +91 95992 99372. Many other users on different social media platforms have shared this video with similar claims.

Investigation:

The viral video lasts for 51 seconds and captures a moment when Rahul Gandhi, in response to a question asked in English about the relationship between violence and non-violence in Indian society, pauses for a significant period. The viral clip is of the same duration, showing only Rahul Gandhi’s silence following the question. It is evident that this segment has been edited from the original footage and circulated out of context.

This method of election propaganda, which involves sharing excerpts of speeches or dialogues from well-known figures and leaders out of context to alter their meaning, is quite common. For further fact-checking reports on similar viral clips, one can refer to the Election Check section of Vishvas News.

Upon conducting a keyword search based on the viral video clip, numerous older reports were found mentioning this incident. According to a report by India Today dated May 26, 2022, the video is from an event featuring Rahul Gandhi at Cambridge University. During this event, when a female moderator posed the question to Rahul Gandhi regarding the relationship between violence and non-violence in Indian society and the coordination between them, Rahul Gandhi took a moment to compose himself.

As per the report, he responded by saying, “Ah… I think the word that comes to my mind is forgiveness… It’s not quite accurate… you know that.” He then remained silent briefly before receiving applause from the audience. In response to this, Rahul Gandhi remarked, “I am thinking…!” The moderator clarified that she didn’t intend to silence him but apologized for not posing the question earlier. In reply, Rahul Gandhi stated, “No… no, you did not leave me speechless. I was trying to answer it in more depth.”

This account is also corroborated by several other reports. During the search, the original and unedited video clip of this event was found on NDTV’s verified YouTube channel, uploaded on May 25, 2022.

The context of the viral clip becomes apparent when viewing the video from the 31.30-minute mark when the moderator asks Rahul Gandhi about his perspectives on violence and non-violence in Indian society. In response to this, Rahul Gandhi mentions that the most significant lesson of his life stems from the death of his father. Rahul Gandhi’s silence was a result of reflecting on the question and sharing personal experiences.

Additionally, during the search, a post made by Randeep Singh Surjewala on X was found, in which he responded to this video clip.

Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Abhimanyu Tyagi was contacted regarding the viral video clip. He denounced it as a malicious form of propaganda against Rahul Gandhi, emphasizing that Rahul Gandhi, having been a victim of violence himself, became momentarily silent when questioned about violence and non-violence due to the profound personal loss he has experienced, including the killings of his father and grandmother.