Fact Check: Meerut BJP MP candidate Arun Govil had lunch at Dalit’s house during campaigning
Arun Govil, who became a household name after playing the character of Lord Ram in the TV series ‘Ramayan’, has started a new chapter in his career by entering politics. He has been nominated as MP candidate from his hometown Meerut. He is busy campaigning in Meerut city.
Claim :
Video shows BJP Meerut candidate Arun Govil did not eat food in a Dalit’s house during his campaigningFact :
The viral video is edited. Arun Govil did eat food in Dalit’s house, during the election campaign
Arun Govil, who became a household name after playing the character of Lord Ram in the TV series ‘Ramayan’, has started a new chapter in his career by entering politics. He has been nominated as MP candidate from his hometown Meerut. He is busy campaigning in Meerut city.
Amidst this, a video showed him in front of a plate full of food, but not eating it. While the persons sitting around him are eating, he can be seen talking to others and sitting with folded hands. The video is in circulation with the claim that he did not touch food in the house of a Dalit during his election campaigning. The users shared the video with sarcastic comments as the person who played Lord Ram, who ate sour berries from Sabari, is now not able to eat food at a Dalit’s house.
Fact Check:
The claim is False. The video is edited, the BJP leader ate food in the house of a Dalit during his election campaign.
When we extracted keyframes from the viral video and searched using Google reverse image search, we found few social media accounts shared the images of him having food at the house of a Dalit during his election campaign. The images state that the leader had food at the house of Bhagawath Pura booth president of Meerut, Neetu Jatav and Arun Machal Valmiki.
According to the news report published by ETV Bharat, on April 13, 2024, BJP candidate from Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha seat and "Ram" of the famous TV serial Ramayana, Arun Govil reached Bhagwatpura area of Brahmpuri in the city to appeal to voters. On this occasion, he also visited the Dalit families. When he entered their homes, women performed aarti of Arun Govil and he also ate food in one of the houses.
News18 UP Uttarakhand published the video showing Arun Govil having food during his visit to his visit to a Dalit family. The video is published with title in Hindi “Loksabha Election 2024: दलित के घर खाना खाते दि
Therefore, the claim that BJP Meerut candidate, Arun Govil did not eat in the house of a Dalit is False. The viral video is edited to show that he did not have food. The leader had food in a Dalit’s house.
