Altered Video Falsely Claims PM Modi Called 'Dark-Skinned' People Africans

In the full speech, PM Modi hit out former IOC member Sam Pitroda's racist statement on the colour of skin.

Fact-Check: PM Modi was reacting to Sam Pitroda's statement. 

(Altered by The Quint) 

A video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being shared to claim that he identified all dark-skinned people, including Indian, as Africans. He can also be heard speaking against President Droupadi Murmu in the video.

What did PM Modi say?: "Those who have black skin are from Africa. Droupadi Murmu is also African because she has dark skin hence, she should be defeated."

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

We received a query about this on our WhatsApp tipline, as well.

Is this true?: The video is clipped.

• In the longer version of the video, PM Modi hit out at former chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda's controversial remarks, where he called people who live in South India - Africans.

• PM Modi said that Congress wanted to defeat President Murmu because she is dark-skinned and hence, African.

How did we find out?: With a relevant keyword search, we came across the longer version of PM Modi's speech on Bharatiya Janata Party's official YouTube channel. It was uploaded on 8 May.

• We went through the entire speech and identified portions in the viral video.

42:49 minutes onwards, we were able to trace the context and portion in the viral video. Here is what PM Modi said:

• "Saathiyon, I was thinking that Droupadi ji, who has a good reputation and is the daughter of the Adivasi community. We were making her the President, I used to think why is Congress putting in so much effort to defeat her? Why is Congress upsetting Adivasis? I kept thinking this.

• At 43:39 minutes, the Prime Minister said, "Today, I got to know why Congress wanted to defeat Murmu, an Adivasi daughter. In America, Shehzade's uncle lives, who is also his philosopher and guide."

• PM Modi, then, added about how cricket has a third umpire and if there is confusiuon the third umpire is consulted.

• Following this comparison, 44:22 minutes onwards, he said, "The prince asks the third player. Prince's uncle, who is a philospher and guide had said, jinka chamdi ka rang kala hota hai, vo Africa se hote hai (Those who have black skin are from Africa."

• At 44:49 minutes, he said, "Meaning, you all, the people of my country were abused so much on the basis of skin colour.

• Around 45:12 minutes, PM Modi said, "Then I got to know that on the basis of colour they believed that Murmu is also African and should be defeated." This is the portion in the viral video.

• Following this, the Prime Minister said that he had understood how Congress's mindset works and where it would take our country.

• Finally, he said that no matter what the skin colour was, we were followers of Lord Krishna, whose skin colour was just like ours.

What did Sam Pitroda say?: In an interview to The Statesman on 2 May, Pitroda, who was the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress said:

"We have survived 70-75 years, in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside a few fights here and there. We could hold the country together, as diverse as India where people in the East look like Chinese, people in the West look like Arab, people in the North look like, maybe White, and people in South look like Africans. It doesn't matter. We are all brothers and sisters."

Sam Pitroda, former Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress.

The Congress party distanced itself from this comment and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on his official X page that Pitroda had resigned from his position in IOC.

Conclusion: A clipped video of PM Modi is being shared to falsely claim that he called dark-skinned people Africans.

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