Old video of Tejashwi Yadav giving cash to flood-affected families linked with Bihar polls

As voting for Bihar assembly polls is ongoing, a video is circulating with the text, “Tejashwi Yadav distributing notes during the election campaign.”

(Translated from चुनाव प्रचार में नोट बांटते हुए तेजस्वी यादव का वीडियो हुआ वायरल)

This video was posted on Facebook page Achhe Din which has over one million followers. (archived link)

Social media head of BJP Punjab Varun Puri also tweeted the video and wrote, “Tejashwi Yadav distributing jobs in Bihar.” It was viewed close to 10,000 times. (archived link)

तेजस्वी यादव बिहार में नौकरियाँ बाँटते हुए। pic.twitter.com/XVZSIkkQVN

— Varun Puri (@varunpuri1984) October 29, 2020

It was also tweeted by ‘Akash RSS’.

चुनाव प्रचार में नोट बांटते हुए तेजस्वी यादव ( बिहार चुनाव) pic.twitter.com/bqvxjsj8Kn

— Akash RSS (@Satynistha) October 29, 2020

Alt News received several requests to fact-check this claim on our WhatsApp helpline (+917600011160) and on our official Android application.

Old video

We found that video’s original audio has been replaced with the Rajasthani bhajan ‘Rishta Tu Bana Le Shyam Se’. A reverse image search using InVID led us to the video uploaded by a Facebook user in August. However, it was shared with the claim that Tejashwi Yadav is helping poor people in Bihar. Yadav is the face the opposition in Bihar elections as the leader of political party Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Next, we visited Yadav’s Facebook profile and looked for videos uploaded prior to August. We found that the viral video is a clip from a Facebook Live uploaded on July 31. It has been clipped from the 5:00 mark. According to the accompanying caption, the clip is from Chakia, Pipra assembly in Champaran district of Bihar and Yadav is distributing money to people affected by floods.

Incessant rains caused heavy flooding in Champaran district in July. Navbharat Times reported on July 31 that Yadav visited the flood-ravaged district of Champaran and offered food and ₹200 to each flood-affected family. The Election Commission announced the schedule and dates for the Bihar assembly election in September. According to PRS, “The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is operational from the date that the election schedule is announced till the date that results are announced.”

Therefore, a three-month-old video of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav distributing money to flood-affected families in Champaran was shared with the claim that he was influencing voters ahead of state polls.