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: TMC’s star campaigner Deepak Adhikari admitted defeat of his party candidate before the polls and congratulated the BJP candidate from Balurghat Sukanta Majumdar on his victory.
Fact: Deepak Adhikari congratulated Sukant Majumdar as a political courtesy. His statement is being circulated on social media with a misleading claim.
Bengali actor, TMC’s star campaigner and party candidate from Ghatal Deepak Adhikari (Dev) recently made a last-minute campaign visit to West Bengal’s Balurghat ahead of the upcoming second round of voting on April 26 and also held a rally in support of the TMC candidate at Kushmandi. Posting a 24-second video clip of that meeting on his X handle, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that TMC’s star campaigner Deepak Adhikari has already admitted the defeat of his party candidate before the polls, since he can be heard congratulating the BJP candidate from Balurghat Sukanta Majumdar even before the elections.
Fact Check/ Verification
In the viral clip, Deepak Adhikari can be heard saying, “Many of my friends are also in BJP. One of them is Sukanta Da (BJP candidate of Balurghat Sukanta Majumdar). My dearest person. Best wishes to Sukanth Da. Whoever wins in politics, I think the one whom people love, the one whom people trust should win. Best wishes to Sukanth Da from this stage.”
We found a longer version of the same video posted on Deepak Adhikari’s official Facebook page on April 23, 2024. At the 3.30 mark of that video, we found the viral clip. But before that speech at the 3.24 mark, Deepak Adhikari also said, “Let’s do some courtesy”. That part was omitted in Amit Malviya’s video.
Subsequently, in response to Amit Malviya’s post, tagging the BJP candidate of Balurghat and State President Sukanta Majumdar, Deepak Adhikari clarified on his X handle that the BJP leader misinterpreted his statement, without being able to understand it. He also advised Malvya to learn Bengali.
Later, Sukant Majumdar is heard praising Deepak Adhikari. He said, “Dev is a very good boy. Now he is in trouble, so he has to stand for TMC. He has campaigned against me, I will also campaign against him. Before it, Debanshu Bhattacharya (TMC leader and Candidate from Tamluk) came to Balurghat, he also said that Sukant Majumdar is a good human. That is my acceptance.”
Conclusion
Thus it is very clear that Deepak Adhikari did not congratulate Sukant Majumdar in advance for his victory. As a courtesy in politics, he greeted him. Deepak Adhikari’s statement is being circulated on social media with misinterpretations.
Result: Missing Context
Source
Video by Deepak Adhikari, posted on April 23 2024
X post by Deepak Adhikari
Video by ABP Ananda
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.
