Fact Check: BJP's campaign kit did not contain gold biscuits, police find perfume
Claim: Campaign kit distributed to BJP voters has gold biscuits.
Fact: The viral video shows perfume but not gold biscuits. Mumbai police confirm that no gold was discovered during the inspection.
Four phases of Lok Sabha are over and the country is getting ready for the fifth phase of elections scheduled for May 20.
Amidst this, a video is circulating on social media purporting to be footage of police capturing gold biscuits from the campaign kit distributed to BJP voters. In the video, we see police inspecting boxes full of items for BJP’s campaign. We can also hear the dialogue in Marathi in the video. The video reads in Marathi: “Check, Check without fear of anyone! It’s a golden biscuit! “
Caption of the post states, Watch the state of affairs in the BJP Mumbai Maharashtra. Bags containing BJP poster, a banner & one GOLD biscuit inside every bag at GHATKOPAR, Mumbai.
However, in our investigation this claim turned out to be false.
The reporter clarifies that the word ‘golden biscuit’ heard in the video is actually said by the BJP leader who was in the police station in anger. The reporter also clarifies that these rumours may have started after hearing this word.
The reporter clarifies that the word ‘golden biscuit’ heard in the video is actually said by the BJP leader who was in the police station in anger. The reporter also clarifies that these rumours may have started after hearing this word.
Investigation:
We started our investigation by conducting a keyword search on Google and the results led us to a news report about this incident reported by NDTV. You can see this news below.
In the video, the reporter talks about the viral video. This incident took place in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. When the reporter asked the authorities of Ghatkopar police station about the video, they told the reporter: “This incident took place on the night of 9 May 2024. A BJP worker was traveling in the car along with his family members. The vigilance officials demanded that their vehicle be stopped and checked. But the BJP worker did not cooperate. So he had to be brought to the police station. The items found in his car were checked at the police station. No gold was found in the goods during this inspection. These items were propaganda materials to be given to the BJP’s booth leaders.”
The reporter clarifies that the word ‘golden biscuit’ heard in the video is actually said by the BJP leader who was in the police station in anger. The reporter also clarifies that these rumours may have started after hearing this word.
Talking to Mumbai Press about this video, Mulund Division DCP. Purushottam Karad said, “Some activists said during the inspection that there will be golden biscuits. But only propaganda items were found during the inspection.”
BJP leader Ajay Badgujar clarified that the item seen in the video was actually perfume. The car stopped by the police belonged to Budgujar. He told NDTV’s reporter about the video: “The election squad stopped the vehicle in which my family members were traveling. The vehicle contained a box of party propaganda materials. In this box was a kit to be given to all workers.” After this he opens the kit.
The kit contains materials for BJP’s campaign. In this video, we can see many things like masks, cups and stickers of the Prime Minister. He then shows off what he claims to be a golden biscuit in the video. Budgujar explains in the video that this stuff is actually perfume.
Budgujar clarifies that I am the one who says golden biscuit in the video. Badgujar clarifies in the video that I told the police out of desperation after seeing that they did not believe me despite understanding.
Conclusion- Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. What is seen in the viral video is perfume, not gold biscuits. The Mumbai Police have confirmed that no gold was discovered during the inspection.
Disclaimer: The story was first published by Fact Crescendo which was republished by Deccan Chronicle as part of Shakti Initiative.
