Fact Check: Video of PM Modi supporting ballot paper instead of EVM is fake, know the truth

New Delhi: After Maharashtra elections, EVM is once again in discussion. Meanwhile, an old video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is viral on social media. In the video, PM Modi is saying that educated countries in the world like America vote through ballot paper, whereas in India, uneducated people vote through EVMs. While sharing this video, users are claiming that PM Modi was in favor of voting through ballot papers instead of EVMs before coming to power in 2014. BOOM fact-checked that this claim was false. The viral clip is cropped, in the brief version of the video, PM Modi is praising the conduct of elections in India through EVMs and criticizing those countries which still conduct voting through ballot paper.

What is the claim?

This video clip is from after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, when he/she was addressing a public meeting in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh in December 2016. Samajwadi Party spokesperson IP Singh, while sharing this video clip on X, wrote, ‘While advocating the removal of EVMs from the country, Honorable Prime Minister Modi ji said that now elections should be held on ballot paper.’

(archive link)

Facebook But while sharing this video, a user wrote, ‘If we come to power, we will stop elections using EVMs, Modi is against EVMs. Modi gives the example of America of conducting elections through ballot paper.

(archive link)

fact check

BOOM searched the videos and searched for some of PM Modi’s speeches on EVMs and ballot paper using relevant keywords on Google. The viral clip is taken from a speech he/she gave in Moradabad, UP on 3 December 2016. This complete speech was found on PM Modi’s official YouTube channel. In this, the viral video portion can be seen from the time frame of 55:10.

conclusion

After listening to the full speech, we found that PM Modi was criticizing those who call Indians illiterate. PM Modi says, ‘Some people say, our country is poor, people are illiterate, people do not know anything. Even today, educated countries of the world vote on ballot paper whenever elections are held. To this, PM Modi responded by saying, ‘This is India, whom you call illiterate, he/she knows how to vote by pressing the button, do not underestimate the strength of the people of India.’ BOOM fact checked and found that the claim being made on social media is false.

(This story was originally published BoomAnd republished by NBT as part of Shakti Collective.)