CLAIM
An audio note attributed to Lakshmi Mittal, CEO of steel production company ArcelorMittal, has been doing the rounds on social media. The audio speaks against the idea of secular India and supports one religion throughout the country.
The Quint received a query by a reader to verify if the claims were actually made by Mittal himself.
The over four-minute audio questions India’s secular nature and tries to reason how it is a hindrance to the country’s development. It also argues how the West follows one religion policy and “it is only India that is multicultural”.
It was circulated on Facebook and Twitter as well.
You can find the archived version of the post here.
You can find the archived version of the tweet here.
“It is (Jawaharlal) Nehru's fault to have declared India as a secular country,” the audio says.
It alleges that anything Prime Minister Narendra Modi does “is seen with the prism of Hinduism” and becomes an obstacle to development.
“This is one first prime minister who looks at India first and we are accusing him. He happens to be Hindu. So be it. It is a 10,000 year old country. Hindus belong here, where else will they go?”
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
The audio note is not by Lakshmi Mittal. The official Twitter account of his company clarified that the man heard in the audio is not Mittal.
FACT
After the audio note was circulated, the official Twitter handle of ArcelorMittal issued a clarification denying its relation to its CEO.
The tweet said although the man in the viral audio note is unknown, it is not 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.”
Furthermore, The Quint found that the man’s voice in the audio note does not sound like Mittal’s when matched with the rest of his speeches available online.
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