So, the viral clip you may have seen where India is said to be asking the US to turn over the man behind the so-called Cockroach Janata Party? It’s been called out as a fake. According to PIB, the footage with the External Affairs Minister and Rubio is computer-generated and puts words in the mouth of Abhijeet Dipke that he never said.
PIB flags AI-altered clip
You could find the video all over X, with some saying Jaishankar was on the record calling out the Cockroach Janata Party for their anti-India stunts from the US, even tying them to Iran and Pakistan. That’s when India’s fact-checkers had to step in.
“The minister did NOT make any such statement in the original video,” says the PIB. In short, it’s a fabrication born of artificial intelligence and a misreading of a diplomatic moment.
Here is what PIB is saying, in a nutshell:
– This is a fake, AI-driven video
– You can’t put those quotes on Jaishankar
– They just took some old footage from a presser
– If you spot something like this, let us know
What you’re really looking at
If you go back to the source, as we did, the unedited video is from a joint press conference. The version that’s been going around has been doctored to put some heat into the remarks about the Cockroach Janata Party and its founder.
In the real thing, you see the two of them at the podiums with the flags, fielding questions. Jaishankar was talking up the steady relationship between the two countries and how our interests are in line.
How they put the spin on it
The altered version has Jaishankar turning to “Honorable President Trump” and “Secretary of State Marco Rubio” to put some pressure on the group. It even brings up “Abhijeet Dibke” and makes a point of the Iranian regime.
It also has a way of suggesting that while we’ve been good to the US and Israel and let go of ties with Iran, the US is still putting up with the Cockroach Janata Party. None of that is in the original tape, per PIB.
Why we had to set the record straight
With a new group in the news, there’s room for a misleading video to get some traction, particularly if it looks like it’s coming from the top of the diplomatic tree. We don’t want to see public perception of our foreign policy or our ties with other nations get muddied by this.
We wanted to nip the false narrative in the bud and show the kind of AI manipulation out there – where you have a real picture but the audio is all put together.
A note to our readers
We’re asking for a little due diligence. If you come across a post that seems off, flag it. A quick check with PIB Fact Check can stop the damage before it gets out of hand.
When you’re not sure, get the whole story. A sound bite with no link to where it came from is usually a tell-tale sign.
Rubio in town for the real reason
All this was happening as Marco Rubio was in for a four-day run in India. He was here on Saturday for some talks with PM Modi and Jaishankar, and to be part of the Quad meeting on Tuesday.
He’s also been to the Taj and the Amber Fort. The presser that the fake was based on was just your standard diplomacy, nothing to do with a political outfit from abroad.
Jaishankar was simply pointing out that we’ve been in touch, whether in Washington, New York or, last time in France. It’s a case of working together because it makes sense for both of us.
To put it plainly: there was no move to have the US hand over anyone from the 'Cockroach Janata Party‘. The claims were put together, the video was changed, and we’re asking you to report it if you see it.
