Cropped Video Of Ashok Gehlot Drinking Holy Water With Misleading Claim Goes Viral

A video of Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is going viral on social media. In the 5-second-long viral video, CM Gehlot can be seen inside a temple where a priest gave him holy water (Charanamrit). While sharing this video, people on social media claimed that Ashok Gehlot drank holy water (Charanamrit) without taking off the mask.

While mocking at CM Gehlot, BJP Rajasthan ex-spokesperson Laxmikant Bharadwaj shared this video and wrote a caption in Hindi which reads, "हमारे मुख्यमंत्री गहलोत जी को भी राहुल गाँधी से कम मत समझना । देखो."

[English Translation: Don't underestimate our Chief Minister Gehlot ji less than Rahul Gandhi. look]

Ashwani Mishra associated with Panchjanya shared this video and wrote, "कांग्रेस के टायटेनिक को डुबोने के लिए अकेले पप्पू ही काफी थोड़ी है...हमारे गहलोत साहब भी कुछ कम नहीं हैं."

[English Translation: Pappu alone is enough to sink the Titanic of Congress...our Gehlot sahib is no less.]

Media organisations like ABP News, Zee News, Newsroom Post, Jansatta, Times Now Navbharat, Live Hindustan, RSS weekly magazine Panchjanya etc., published reports on the matter. Based on claims being made on social media, he said that Ashok Gehlot drank Charanamrit without taking off the mask.

It is being widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with a similar claim.

Fact Check:

The Logical Indian Fact Check team verified the viral claim and found it to be misleading. The viral video is cropped and presented out of context.

During the initial investigation, we searched on Google using the required keywords. This led us to a tweet done by Avadhesh Akodia, special correspondent at Dainik Bhaskar, in which a longer version of the viral video can be seen. In this 14-second-long video, Ashok Gehlot can be seen taking off his mask to drink Charanamrit. The caption of the tweet reads, "Did Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot really drink Charanamrit wearing a mask at the Ramdevra temple in Jaisalmer district? After 5 seconds in the video @ashokgehlot51 can be seen removing the mask with one hand and taking holy water (charanamrit) with the other.

Zee Rajasthan Bureau Chief Sushant also shared the complete in which CM Gehlot can be seen removing the mask with one hand and taking holy water (charanamrit) with the other. In the video, Ashok Gehlot takes his hands near his mouth after taking Charanamrit in his hand. However, as soon as he notices that he is wearing a mask, he can be seen removing the mask with one hand and taking Charanamrit with the other.

We also found a Tweet done by ANI in which Ashok Gehlot gave a statement on this incident. While talking to media, he said, "I don't know from where these people bring videos. The one who doesn't work...conspires. I don't know where that video is from. I don't care. Can someone drink water with a mask on?"

Our investigation shows that the viral video of CM Ashok Gehlot drinking Charanamrit while wearing a mask is cropped. In the original clip, CM Gehlot immediately removed the mask with one hand and took holy water with the other. Hence, the viral claim is misleading.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.

Also Read: Did Shivraj Singh Chouhan Insult His Teacher? No, Viral Video Is Cropped And Presented Out Of Context