Authors
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: Rapper Raftaar criticising the Citizenship Amendment Act during a concert.
Fact: The video is from 2019 after the CAA was passed by the Parliament of India.
Four years after the Union government passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), it notified the implementation of the contentious law on March 11th, just a month ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The move has drawn criticism from across the Opposition spectrum, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and others.
In this context, a video clip showing rapper and composer Raftaar, speaking strongly against the Citizenship Amendment Act is circulating on social media. Sharing a 44-second clip, X user @vivekcool007, among the many who shared the video, wrote, “Shame on @raftaarmusic who is speaking against #CAARules in one of his show Le bhai agya #CitizenshipAmendmentAct abhi NRC bhi ayega….. @DelhiPolice ask him not to manipulate his followers against Indian laws approved by Indian Govt. #ModiKiGuarantee #ModiHaiToMumkinHai”
Many others also shared the video as can be seen here, here and here.
Fact Check/ Verification
We ran a keyword search on the internet with ‘Rafter on CAA’, and ‘Rapper Raftaar on CAA’ which led us to the official YouTube channel of The Lallantop. We found the same video, which was posted on December 25, 2019, titled in Hindi, ‘Rapper Raftaar’s comments on CAA protest is not a small thing’ (translated). As per the news, before the start of the concert, Raftar addressed the audience from the stage, expressing his opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He minced no words and also used abusive language to criticise the move, the report notes.
Other media organisations like Indian Express, The Quint, India Today, The Loksatta and OneIndia also published the same news.
The rapper later took to his X handle to issue an apology for his use of abusive words, a report published in the Times of India says.
Conclusion
Thus, we find that the video showing rapper Raftaar using abusive language to criticise the CAA, is old.
Result: Missing Context
Sources:
News published by The Lallantop and One India
News published by Indian Express, The Quint, India Today, and The Loksatta
Rapper Raftaar’s own X post
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Authors
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.
