Video claims New Zealand’s Home Minister also adopted Sanatan Dharma; Fact Check

A video of a foreigner performing Hindu rituals with folded hands is going viral on X (formerly Twitter) with the claim that it shows the Home Minister of New Zealand adopting Sanatana Dharma. The caption reads:”See the power of Sanatan… New Zealand’s Home Minister also adopted Sanatan Dharma…!!”

#Sanaatan
See the power of Sanatan
New Zealand’s Home Minister also adopted Sanatan Dharma…!! pic.twitter.com/Rnh9bdaK58

— Ajay Dada Ayodhya Vasi (@hinduajaydada) January 25, 2024

The video had garnered over two lakh views already and can be seen here and here.

FACT CHECK

When the Digiteye India team checked for the Home Minister’s details of New Zealand, we found neither such a ministry nor the person heading it. Instead, Brooke van Velden serves as the Minister of Internal Affairs & Workplace Relations and Safety and the person in the video is different from him. Next, we took some key frames from the video and checked them on Google Reverse Image Search. The results showed that the person in the video is an American yoga teacher named Brent Goble.

As per the social media handle, Brent Globe now resides in Anjuna, Goa and he is engaged in teaching yoga to people of all age groups. When we searched his Instagram account, we found the original  video that was posted by him on November 2, 2023. It was captioned, “Last night was Alex’s naming ceremony. While Hinduism isn’t part of my upbringing, I love taking part in the rituals that are important to my wife and in-laws. I pray my son grows beautifully through life, faces necessary challenges, fights with fierce passion, and loves with an open heart.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Brent Goble (@ibrentgoble)

Hence, the video of a yoga teacher is being shared as that of the Home Minister of New Zealand adopting Sanatana Dharma.

Claim: A video is being shared claiming that it shows that the Home Minister of New Zealand adopting Sanatana Dharma.

Conclusion: False. The video doesn’t show New Zealand’s Home Minister adopting Sanatana Dharma but an American Yoga teacher named Brent Goble in daily prayer.
Rating: Misrepresentation —