Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
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
Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s statement on removing reservation.
Fact
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on reservation in response to a question have been shared of context.
Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, several social media users shared a video alleging that state Congress Chief Nana Patole “endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s ‘we will remove reservations’ statement.”
In the 35-second-long-video, Patole is purportedly heard saying, “…what did Rahul Gandhi say? What did Rahul Gandhi say there? He said that in our country, when we are all at the equal level then we will think about reservation. What is wrong with it? Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s stance is also the same…”
BJP IT department head Amit Malviya was among multiple X and Facebook users who claimed that Patole promoted Rahul Gandhi’s statement on removing reservation.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Also Read: Burj Khalifa Lit Up With Image Of Ratan Tata? No, Viral Image Is Edited
Fact Check/Verification
On carefully analysing the video, we noticed the watermark of “IndiaTV” on the mic held by Nana Patole.
Taking a clue, we looked up the keyword “Nana Patole” on the official YouTube channel of IndiaTV, and found a video featuring an exclusive interview of the Congress leader, posted on October 24, 2024.
Around 13:40 minutes in the video, we hear one of the new anchors asking Patole, “The BJP is asking about your narrative regarding reservation, constitution. Rahul Gandhi gives statements overseas, the BJP has created an issue out of it. They (BJP) say that you raise the issue of caste census, but provoke clashes among castes, instigate conflicts between Marathas and OBCs…”
Responding to the same, Maharashtra Congress chief says, “…those who do not understand English are creating an issue out of it. What Rahul Gandhi said? If you have that video, then show. What did Rahul Gandhi say there? He said that in our country, when we are all at the equal level, then we will think about reservation. What is wrong with it? Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s stance is also the same…Those who do not understand English are twisting his statement..”
Rahul Gandhi’s Comments On Reservation
In September 2024, Rahul Gandhi interacted with the students and faculty at Georgetown University in the US. During the same, an attendee asked, “…I would like to know your thoughts and your party’s thoughts on at what point, if all, would we move away or would you move away from the idea of caste based-reservations being a permanent solution to the underlying grassroot issues that necessitates such reservation based systems. At what point, we as a society, but more importantly you and your party look at… caste-based reservations as a treatment of these symptoms and not the actual problem?”
“Why do you say caste-based reservations are a treatment of the symptoms,” Gandhi is heard counter questioning.
The attendee is then heard saying, “Because I believe that the reservations, when they came about historically as well, were there to provide equal access to opportunity and the issue is even today the access to opportunity is where the lag is there. And do you think there are better ways to strengthen our systems institutionally at the grassroot levels than…caste-based reservations?”
Responding to the same, Gandhi says, “Well let’s look at the numbers. If you look at the Indian government..there are 70 bureaucrats who run the Indian government, secretaries to the government of India. These are the guys that take, pretty much, all the financial decisions in the government.“
“If you add up Dalits, tribals, OBCs they come to 73 percent. Out of 70 people there is one tribal, I think, three Dalits, three OBCs…I think a minority. So, 90 percent of India, in the government of India, has access to less than 10 percent of the positions that determine how finances, how money is going to be spent.
“…and when you actually look at the financial numbers, then tribals get 10 paisa out of 100 rupees, Dalits get, I think, 5 rupees out of 100 rupees and OBCs get a similar number. So the fact of the matter is that they’re not getting participation right and the problem is that 90 percent of India is not able to play, right.”
“Go through the list of every single business leader in India and I’ve done it. Show me the tribal name, show me the Dalit name, show me the OBC name. Out of the top 200, I think, there is one OBC, they are 50 percent of India.”
“So we’re not treating the symptom that’s the problem…It’s (reservation) not the only tool there are other tools. But we will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place and India is not a fair place, now that that creates a problem…”
Gandhi’s remarks had earlier also created a political stir, and he had later clarified, “…someone misrepresented my statement that I am against reservation. But let me make it clear – I am not against reservation. We will take reservations beyond the limit of 50 percent.”
Also Read: TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Scolded Amit Shah & Asked Him To Sit Down? Viral Video Is Edited
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on reservation in response to a question have been shared out of context.
Result: Missing Context
Sources
YouTube Video By IndiaTV, Dated October 24, 2024
YouTube Video By Rahul Gandhi, Dated September 10, 2024
Report By Hindustan Times, Dated September 12, 2024
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
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.
