Tue Dec 31 13:49:14 UTC 2024: ## Gadkari’s Rahul Gandhi Remark: A Case of Deliberate Misinformation

**NEW DELHI** – A manipulated video clip featuring Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is circulating on social media, falsely claiming he praised Rahul Gandhi as a “great leader.” The PTI Fact Check Desk has debunked this claim, revealing the viral video to be a fabricated compilation of two separate segments from a longer interview.

The misleading clip, widely shared on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), shows Gadkari seemingly responding to a question about Rahul Gandhi with the statement: “From a distance, I thought he was small, but upon getting closer, I realised he is very big.” This is followed by music, abruptly ending the clip.

However, a thorough investigation by the PTI Fact Check Desk traced the original video to BBC News Hindi’s YouTube channel. The full, unedited interview, uploaded on October 10, 2024, reveals a different context. While Gadkari did discuss his perceptions of people he’d met – noting that individuals who seemed imposing from afar often appeared less so up close, and vice-versa – he made no specific reference to Rahul Gandhi in this context. The minister’s actual response to the question about his opinion of Gandhi was, “I see everyone in a positive light.” He further emphasized that this was his general view.

The fact-checking team concluded that social media users deceptively spliced together unrelated portions of the BBC interview to create the false narrative. The original, unedited interview is also available on Gadkari’s official YouTube account. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ease with which manipulated videos can spread misinformation online.

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