Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Rahul Gandhi says 50+15 = 73
Fact
Viral video is misleadingly clipped, he actually says 50+15+8 = 73
Even as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently promised the removal of the 50 percent cap on reservation if the INDIA bloc forms the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls, a 21-second video mocking Gandhi for what appears to be an erroneous calculation has gone viral on social media. The video shows the Congress leader addressing a rally amid his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, where he purportedly says 50+ 15 = 73.
The archived version of the tweet can be seen here. We received this video on our Whatsapp tipline (9999499044), too, requesting us to fact-check it.
Fact
Newschecker first ran a keyword search for “Rahul Gandhi 50 + 15”, which led us to this tweet, dated February 11, 2024, stating that BJP has edited a clip to show that Rahul (Gandhi) has said 50+15=73, although the actual video shows Gandhi saying 50+15+8 = 73 considering 50% of the country’s population being OBCs, 15% Dalits and 8% tribals. Similar tweets can be seen here and here.
A relevant keyword search led us to this tweet by the Indian National Congress, dated February 8, 2024, sharing the longer, unedited version of the viral excerpt. The tweet states that Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Odisha during his yatra, says that in response to a journalist’s question about the need for a caste census, he said there are about 50% OBCs, 15% Dalits and 8% tribals in the country, bringing the total to 73%. News reports on Rahul Gandhi’s statement can be seen here and here.
Multiple media outlets, seen here and here, have reported on Gandhi’s major poll promise of a nationwide caste census and removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation if the INDIA bloc wins the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, along with the need for a proportional reservation.
We also came across this PTI tweet, dated February 6, 2024, showing Gandhi addressing a rally in Jharkhand, where repeats the 50+15+8 maths, saying that if 73 percent of the population is tribals, Dalits and OBCs, then why is there only a 50 percent limit on the reservation.
Also Read: Rally Against Far-Right In Germany Shared As Pro-Palestine March
Conclusion
A clipped video of Rahul Gandhi’s speech addressing why he advocates the removal of the 50% cap on reservation goes viral.
Result: Altered Video
Sources
Tweet, Congress, February 8, 2024
Youtube video, News Express, February 8, 2024
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
