The Press Information Bureau (PIB)’s fact-checking wing on Saturday debunked an AI-generated deepfake video that falsely circulated on social media that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was resigning.
In a post on X, PIB said the video had been digitally altered and clarified that Pradhan “made no such statement.”
what did the fake video say
In the fake video, Dharmendra Pradhan is seen saying, “I am resigning from my post as Education Minister due to personal reasons. I would like to thank everyone for giving me this opportunity.”
The agency shared a link to the original, unedited video to combat misinformation, urging the public to rely only on official sources for verified information and to be wary of manipulated content. It also appealed to users to help stop the spread of misinformation by reporting suspicious content related to the central government to the PIB fact-checking unit through the WhatsApp helpline (+91 8799711259) or email (factcheck@pib.gov.in).
The deepfakes have surfaced amid ongoing protests against allegations of cheating in national exams, particularly NEET, with students demanding accountability and institutional reforms in the conduct of competitive exams. The doctored footage incorrectly showed the Prime Minister making threatening remarks to protesters, but the PIB said this was completely fabricated.
The PIB Fact-Checking Unit reiterated that it only verifies information related to the Government of India and encourages the public to report questionable content through official fact-checking channels rather than amplifying unverified claims.
The PIB Fact-Checking Unit regularly verifies claims related to the central government and urges users to check viral content with official government handles before sharing.
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