An old video of Congress leader Jairam Ramesh where he compares temples with toilets has resurfaced on social media with users claiming it to be a recent remark by him.
The 12-second video captures Ramesh saying, "Toilets hold more sanctity than temples".
Several right-wing users shared the video prior to the Ram Temple inauguration in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, to claim that it shows a moment where a Congress leader can be heard making an anti-Hindu remark while delivering a speech recently.
However, BOOM found that the video dates back to 2012, during the inauguration of the Nirmal Bharat Yatra in Maharashtra, where Jairam Ramesh made the remarks about temples and toilets. Ramesh was then serving as the Union Minister for Rural Development in the UPA government.
Right-wing account Kreately.in posted the video with a Hindi caption that translates to, "This will definitely make Rahul win".
(Original Text in Hindi: यह बिलकुल जितायेगी राहुल को)
Click here to view the post.
Other users on X later shared the same video, alleging that it captures a recent statement made by the Congress leader.
Click here to view the post.
BOOM also received the same video on its WhatsApp tipline number (7700906588) with a verification request.
Fact Check
BOOM first conducted a related keyword search and found multiple news articles from 2012 that reported about the controversial statement made by Ramesh.
A report by The Indian Express from October 6, 2012, states, "Toilets are more important in India than temples, Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said here (Maharashtra) on Friday, as he inaugurated a yatra that will travel through states raising awareness about sanitation."
Following that lead, we found an ABP News video report published on October 6, 2012, containing an extended version of Ramesh's speech about temples and toilets.
From 25 seconds onwards Ramesh can be heard saying, "I believe this rally aims to building something more sacred than temples, and that's toilets. We might visit temples, yet without a toilet, no amount of coconut smashing, or performing mangal aarti will lead you to salvation. The most unfortunate aspect in our country is that our temples are the dirtiest places."
The former Union Minister further says, "When you visit a temple, you have to cover your nose. Because we accept this... So, we have to fight against this ideology, and we should prioritise cleanliness as our true deity, following Mahatma Gandhi's teachings. If we embrace cleanliness as our ultimate virtue, we can evolve into a developed nation."
Responding to Ramesh's comments, his own party, Congress, then distanced itself from the controversial statements. A Congress spokesperson told reporters that the party respects the sanctity of all religious places, regardless of the community they belong to.
In October 2012, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh removed Ramesh from the Drinking Water and Sanitation department and allocated it to Bharatsin Solanki following Ramesh's controversial remarks and an eventful stint in the Ministry.