An old video of BJP MP Vasundhara Raje Scindia has been circulating online with the false claim that she was seen congratulating independent candidate Ravindra Singh Bhati for winning a seat in the recent Rajasthan state elections. However, a fact-check by India TV reveals that these claims are false. The video in question is from 2021 and shows Vasundhara Raje congratulating athlete Neeraj Chopra for winning a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The misleading caption suggests that Raje was celebrating the victory of the BJP's rebel Ravindra Bhati in the Rajasthan state elections.
The misleading post with the caption, "Vasundhara called Ravindra Singh Bhati. Is Vasundhara Raje worshipping the independent candidates? It is said that Vasundhara Raje was congratulating BJP's rebel Ravindra Bhati in advance on the call!" falsely associates the video with the recent state elections.
India TV did a fact-check
The India TV Fact Check team found that the video of Vasundhara Raje is unrelated to the Rajasthan State Elections held in December 2023. It shows her congratulating Neeraj Chopra, who won a gold medal in the javelin throw at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7, 2021.
Several users who commented on the viral video had already pointed out that the video was old and featured a conversation between Vasundhara Raje and Neeraj Chopra.
Additionally, the fact-checkers discovered the same post shared on Raje's official Instagram account on August 11, 2021, with the caption, "Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra has raised the honour of the country and has made us all proud. Talked to him yesterday evening and congratulated him on winning the gold medal in #Tokyo2020 and expressed heartfelt gratitude from everyone. I wish for a bright future of Neeraj."
The misleading claims highlight the importance of fact-checking and verifying information before sharing it online. In this case, the video has been taken out of context and used to spread false information about Vasundhara Raje's involvement in the recent state elections. Fact-checking helps prevent the dissemination of misinformation and ensures that accurate information reaches the public.
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