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
‘Ram Bhajan’ at CPM event.
Fact
Video found to be manipulated.
A video of a man purportedly singing a Hindu devotional song in front of a banner displaying the CPI(M)’s logo has gone viral on social media platforms. Several users shared the clip claiming to show ‘Ram Bhajan’ recital at an event organised by the CPM. Newschecker, however, found the video to be edited.
The 35-second-long-footage is being widely shared across X, Facebook and Instagram with users claiming to show “Communists singing Ram Bhajan.” It has also been uploaded on YouTube.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Also Read: Deepfake Video Of Nirmala Sitharaman and Shaktikanta Das Promoting Investment Scheme Goes Viral
Fact Check/Verification
On carefully analysing the viral video, we found the audio and visuals to be out of sync. In the initial few frames of the video, for instance, the man in front of the mic stops singing, and moves backward. However, in the audio the same voice is still heard.
While a chorus is heard in the audio, we could not spot any other person singing in the video. We also noticed a watermark of ‘InShot’, a video editing app, at the bottom right corner of the screen, further raising our doubts about the authenticity of the clip.
We then looked up the keyframes of the viral footage on Google lens, which led us to an X post by @honubroto, dated November 19, 2024. It carried a video showing visuals identical to the one seen in the viral clip, however, the audio was different.
A Google search for the key phrases heard in the video posted by X on @honubroto yielded a song titled “Neel Gagan Par Udte Badal” from the film “Khandan.” The original song was sung by Mohammed Rafi, and Asha Bhosle.
Another X post by Paritosh Pattanayak (@paritoshpattan1), a “full time political worker of CPI (M),” as per his bio, carried the actual video showing a man singing a Bollywood song, and not Lord Ram’s bhajan.
Also Read: Viral Videos Of Sundar Pichai and Sudha Murty Endorsing Investment Platforms Found To Be Deepfakes
“Against rampant violence against women in the country and state, against increase in prices of daily essentials including petroleum products, record unemployment, demanding houses of real beneficiaries in housing scheme, demanding 100 jobs, a road meeting was organised at Tekhali Bazar in Nandigram-1 Block No. 1 by CPI(M) (translated from Bengali via Google),” stated the post.
The original video was also shared on Pattanayak’s Facebook profile on November 14, 2024 along with other photos of the event.
We also found multiple other social media posts, such as this and this, carrying the actual video.
Conclusion
Hence, the viral video claiming to show a man singing ‘Ram Bhajan’ at CPM event was found to be manipulated.
Result: Altered Video
Sources
X Post By @honubroto, Dated November 19, 2024
X Post By @paritoshpattan1, Dated November 17, 2024
Facebook Post By Paritosh Pattanayak, Dated November 14, 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.
