A misleading video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been circulating online, falsely asserting that he referred to himself as a tailor. The footage, taken from his speech at Congress' OBC Sammelan, has been clipped out of context to support this inaccurate claim. India TV's Fact Check team discovered that the video distortion was aimed at distorting Gandhi's actual statement, where he highlighted the lack of recognition for tailors from backward castes in India.
India TV did a fact-check
The manipulated 55-second video portrays Gandhi saying, "The world calls me a fashion designer, but I am not a fashion designer; I am a tailor... You remove that tailor from the back room and send him to Paris, France, we will clap." However, the omitted context reveals that Gandhi was quoting a conversation with another fashion designer. He emphasises how individuals from backward castes, like tailors, contribute significantly to the success of upper-class professionals without receiving proper credit.
The video was shared with misleading captions on social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. On Instagram, the handle @tryfun11 posted the video with a translated caption suggesting Gandhi called himself a tailor. Similarly, on Facebook, the caption, when translated, reads, "I am a fan, Respected Rahul Gandhi ji... Listen. Please...I am a tailor."
Further investigation by India TV's Fact Check team uncovered the origin of the manipulated video. The Instagram video had a watermark linking to a YouTube channel known for mocking Rahul Gandhi. A video from the same channel, posted on November 11, 2023, featured Gandhi discussing the founder of Coca-Cola selling lemonade. This confirmed that both statements were made during the same event, the OBC Sammelan, on June 11, 2018.
Conclusion
By examining the full speech available on the Indian National Congress's official YouTube channel, the team identified the specific segment where Gandhi addressed the conversation with the fashion designer. At the 2:36:00 mark, Gandhi clarified that the designer, not himself, was referred to as a tailor. This manipulation serves as a reminder to critically assess online content, especially when it comes to political figures, to avoid falling prey to misinformation.
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