Audio on social media in Lakshmi Mittal’s name and image seeks one religion, one country in India; Fact Check

Instead of a video, this time an audio is making rounds on social media with a claim that lakshmi Mittal, global steel magnate Indian who settled down in the United Kingdom, questioning Indian Constitution’s guarantees on religious freedom in the country.

#LakshmiMittal ji 🔥🔥🙏🙏 https://t.co/4k2S8MAK0C

— ArunmozhiVarman 🕉🚩🇮🇳🛕🎻 (@Arunmozhi_Raaja) January 12, 2023

Shared on twitter, the claim reads: “Modi appeases M community it’s progress, Modi inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath corridor, he is not following Secularism, none question any Christian or Mozlem nation, why only Indian Pm is questioned? Listen what Industrialist Mr.Mittal has to say Part I ++”.

A similar post was shared on Facebook with a claim that says,”Amazingly, bold statement by Laxmi Mittal (ArcelorMittal ), largest manufacturer of steel in the world as of today. Being a Hindu, one must be ashamed to listen his speech. Pl. listen. It is too good to listen till end, it is quite short, Bravo Mittal ji”.

The static video with a voice, claiming to be of Mittal, seeks to raise several questions on India’s religious freedom or tolerance. Many have shared the video claiming that his bold statements on Hinduism should change the existing rules.

FACT CHECK

The Digiteye India team took it up for the strange speech by Lakshmi Mittal, that too using some words considered unparliamentary by a business leader of his stature. Since the image remained static in the entire post with only voice being heard, the option was to look for voice samples of Lakshmi Mittal. The voice was astonishingly unlike Mittal speaking with the usage of unparliamentary language in some references. Secondly, it would have made headlines by now if Lakshmi Mittal had himself spoken this way by now.

https://t.co/yw0NJrWLPX#mittal

— Navaneeth Poojary (@iamneeth) January 12, 2023

After comparing Lakshmi Mittal’s voice from the following video, we could definitely conclude that the voice used in the static video was not his. Listen to his voice in this video. Secondly, this is not the first time such a claim has been made using this post. In fact, a tweet on the official handle of Arcelor Mittal, dated September 19, 2019, the company stated on Twitter that the speech in the audio was not given by Lakshmi Mittal.

An audio file is circulating online claiming to be remarks on Indian politics and religion by our Chairman and CEO. We do not know who the speaker is, but it is not Mr Lakshmi Mittal.

— ArcelorMittal (@ArcelorMittal) September 19, 2019

Secondly, the voice claims at the 1:58 mark:“My grandfather was the second-largest steel manufacturer in the country after the Tatas. We were so heavily restricted by the British government to not manufacture more…”. But the truth is that Lakshmi Mittal’s father comes from a poor family in Sadulpur, Rajasthan, who started the steel business in the 1960s. So, the claim that Britishers restrained his grandfather in any way does not hold truth. Hence, the claim in the static viral video is Totally False.

Claim: Lakshmi Mittal in his address sought one India, one religion.
Conclusion: No, the voice in the audio was not of Lakshmi Mittal’s.
Rating: Totally False —