The ‘Gen Z’ protests in Nepal began on September 8, triggered by the government’s ban on 26 major social media platforms and the urgent need for systemic reforms.
What followed were days of mass youth-led demonstrations against corruption, inequality and authoritarianism. Government buildings were burned, the prime minister resigned, and an interim government was formed amid heavy casualties; at least 72 dead, and over 2,000 injured.
In the above context, a 10-second video is being widely shared on social media in which a large crowd is seen standing near a building and is heard chanting slogans in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The video is shared with a caption claiming that it shows people in Nepal hailing PM Modi.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “Long live Narendra Modi ji in Nepal.” (Translated from Hindi)
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The viral video is from July 25, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives.
On a Google reverse image search, we found that the same video was also shared by The Statesman on their X handle on July 25.
The video was shared with a caption that reads, “PM Modi In Maldives | ‘Narendra Modi zindabad’ resonated in Malé as residents greeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi cordially.”
Taking a hint, we searched with relevant keywords and found that the same video was also reported by All India Radio on their YouTube channel on July 25. The video was shared with a caption suggesting that it shows people hailing PM Modi in Male, Maldives.
A report of the visit was also shared by All India Radio. The report by Newsonair stated that PM Modi made a state visit to the Maldives on July 27.
The visit was hailed as ‘extremely productive.’ He was the first Indian Prime Minister to attend the Maldives’ 60th Independence Day as the Guest of Honour. As a part of his visit, key outcomes were there, such as agreements in fisheries, meteorology, and digital infrastructure. India extended a line of credit of Rs 4,850 crore; Maldives’ annual debt repayment cut from US$51 million to US$29 million. They also began talks on a Free Trade Agreement and stepped up defence and maritime cooperation.
The Hindu also reported on PM Modi leaving for the Maldives on July 26.
