“Chhipkali raat ko kide makode khakar subah hote hi gandhi ke tasveer ke pichhe chhup jati hai, theek yahi kaam Congress karti aayi hai” (Lizards after eating ants all night hide behind Gandhi’s photograph. Congress has been doing precisely this). This statement has been attributed to actor Nana Patekar, and has been circulating on social media.

‘Yogi Adityanath ki sena’ is one of the Facebook pages which has posted the quote with the question “kya aap bhi iss baat se sehmat hain?” (Do you agree with this?). It has been shared more than 5000 times from this page alone.

क्या आप भी नाना की इस बात से सहमत है 😄

Posted by योगी आदित्यनाथ की सेना on Wednesday, February 14, 2018

This quote is patently fake. Alt News spoke to Nana Patekar who said, “Neither have I said any such thing nor is this my view”. Alt News found that this particular quote is hardly new and has been doing the rounds of social media for the last few years. The following tweet is from 2013.

Different versions of the quote have been used in different contexts by both BJP and Congress supporters to take potshots at each other.

#छिपकली रात भर हजारो कीड़ो-मकोड़े खाकर,
सुबह होते ही महापुरुषों की तस्वीर के पीछे छिप जाती है !

यथावत यही चरित्र भाजपा का है

Posted by नावेद नायक on Sunday, October 8, 2017

Fake quotes have been floating on the internet for a long time. Almost everyday, a fake quote attributed to a celebrity is brought to our notice. Alt News had unearthed an entire factory of fake quotes which are churned out with alarming frequency, targeting major public figures. Many of these quotes are communal in nature and seek to divide communities and incite tension. There is a need to identify those who are behind such mischief and legal action ought to be initiated against them.

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About the Author

Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming.