New Delhi: A video of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval claiming that Pakistan’s ISI recruited more Hindus than Muslims in India sparked wide debate after the November 10 terror attack in Delhi. The attack left at least 13 people dead. Many shared the clip to counter attempts to blame minorities. Doval later called the video a deepfake. A fact check has now confirmed his claim is false.
Doval told a news channel on November 17 that he never made the statement. He said the video was created to influence public opinion on national security. His comments appeared to suggest the clip was part of an effort to weaken India’s counter terror position.
A review of the clip’s origin shows something else. The video traces back to a full lecture delivered by Doval at the Australia India Institute in March 2014. The lecture, available online, shows Doval saying that ISI recruited more Hindus than Muslims for intelligence tasks in India. He said the records since 1947 revealed that less than one fifth of the cases involved Muslims.
He spoke about the need to include Muslim leaders in counter terror work. He said the casualties of global terror were largely Muslim. He also highlighted examples of public opposition to terrorism from Muslim scholars in India.
Doval also said terrorism should be viewed as a national issue instead of a communal dispute. He warned against linking national security with identity based politics.
The fact check shows the viral clip is not a deepfake. It is a short segment of a longer 2014 speech in which Doval offered detailed views on counter terror policy.
