Did PM Modi state that BJP is using Hindutva as a deck of cards?

An interview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 24 years ago is becoming viral on the X platform (previously known as Twitter). Many people have tweeted a 14-second clip from the video in which the PM can be heard saying, “हिंदुत्व कभी भी भारतीय जनता पार्टी का चुनावी नारा नहीं रहा है। हिंदुत्व हमारे लिए आर्टिकल ऑफ फेथ है। यह चुनावी खेल खेलने के लिए ताश का पत्ता है।” (Hindutva has never been the election slogan of the BJP party. Hindutva is an article of faith for us. This is a deck of cards to play the election game).

The Congress supporters are sharing this video with the claim that PM Modi views Hindutva as a deck of cards to be used in the political game. (Archived links 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)

pic.twitter.com/qUkVcKTxYU

— North East Delhi Congress Sevadal (@SevadalNED) October 27, 2023

मोदी और भाजपाईयों ने INDIA को कंगाली की कगार पर लाकर खड़ा कर दिया है।

कमज़ोर दिलवाले💔 अंधभक्त ना देखें..!!

हिन्दू धर्म मोदी के लिए ताश का पत्ता है ! pic.twitter.com/uSorLZ3pdp

— Rishi R,Sharma (@RishiSh27706153) October 27, 2023

मोदी जी हिन्दू धर्म को केवल चुनावी खेल खेलने के लिए ताश का पत्ता समझते हैं ?
सत्ता को हासिल करने के लिए भाजपा ने जितना हिंदू धर्म का जितना दोहन किया है ,
उतना दोहन तो दुनिया के किसी भी राजनैतिक दल ने अपने धर्म का नहीं किया होगा ?#हिन्दू_धर्म_केवल_ताश_का_पत्ता #नरेंद्र_मोदी pic.twitter.com/ftFD1DQFWo

— Advocate Sanjeev Kumar Singh (@Advocat64625996) October 27, 2023

हिन्दू धर्म मोदी के लिए ताश का पत्ता है ! #Hindu #NarendraModi #JaiShreeRam #Riots #BJP

Translated from Hindi by
Hindu religion is a playing card for Modi! #Hindu #NarendraModi #JaiShreeRam #Riots #BJP pic.twitter.com/PuJf2QkUrF

— anwar ali (@Anwar_Hyd_) October 27, 2023

हिन्दू धर्म मोदी के लिए ताश का पत्ता है !#Hindu #NarendraModi #JaiShreeRam #Riots #BJP pic.twitter.com/OljW2rAXmF

— Modi Lies (@ModiLiess) October 26, 2023

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Fact Check

We started our research by doing a reverse image search of the image extracted from the video and found a report by Zee News. The header of the report read, “Deshhit: Watch PM Modi’s 24-year-old interview.” When the Prime Minister turned 72 in 2022, Zee News aired a 24-year-old interview with Narendra Modi, which he gave to Zee News (Archived link) on its show “Aapki Adalat, Aapka Faisal”. The report also includes an interview tape of 19 minutes and 31 seconds.

Furthermore, we performed a keyword search on YouTube and found the same interview video shared by Zee News.

Only Fact watched the 19-minute interview and found the claim misleading. The audio in the viral YouTube clip has been digitally manipulated. At 10:4 minutes into the video, the interviewer asks Modi if his party is using religion as a gimmick, adding, “Your slogan of Hindutva was the reason why you got two seats in the Lok Sabha in 1984, and from there you rose to the position of forming the government in 1998. Now your Hindutva slogan has also failed. In this election, you used Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana again in the name of your election gimmick, but people have realised that you raise sentimental subjects at election time merely to win votes.”

When asked about exploiting Hindutva as an election gimmick, Narendra responds, “हिंदुत्व बीजेपी का कभी भी चुनावी नारा नही रहा है। हिंदुत्व हमारे लिए आर्टिकल ऑफ फेथ है। ये चुनावी खेल खेलने के लिए ताश का पत्ता नही है।” (Hindutva has never been the BJP party’s electoral slogan. For us, Hindutva is an article of faith. This is not a deck of cards for a political game). He makes no mention of his party utilizing Hindutva as a deck of cards to win elections. The audio from 10:34 to 10:39 has been digitally altered.

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