Edited Video Shared to Claim PM Modi Said ‘Hindutva Is a Card Trick For BJP’

In the original video, PM Modi specifies that 'Hindutva is not a trick for the BJP to play during elections'.

A video from an old video interview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going viral on social media to claim that he stated that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) uses 'Hindutva as a card trick during elections'.

In the viral video, he further states, "Hindutva has never been an election slogan for the BJP. Hindutva is an article of faith for us, a card we use in the game of elections."

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

What's the truth?: We found out that the viral video was clipped and edited.

• The original video shows PM Modi dismissing claims about the BJP using 'Hindutva as a card trick during elections'.

How did we find out the truth?: We conducted a reverse image search of one of keyframes of the video with a relevant keyword search, this led us to an old video on YouTube shared by Zee News.

• The title suggested that this interview with PM Modi was from 1998 and was shared on YouTube on 17 September 2022.

• The interviewer asks PM Modi about BJP's approach on Hindutva and other related sensitive issues.

• The viral video starts at 10:32 timestamp where PM Modi can be heard saying, "Hindutva has never been an election slogan for the BJP. Hindutva is an article of faith for us but not a card that we use in elections."

• The word denying the allegations ('nahi' in Hindi) has been clipped from the viral clip.

Conclusion: An altered video has gone viral on social media to claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the BJP uses 'Hindutva as a card trick during elections.

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