#FactCheck -AI-Generated Video Falsely Shows PM Modi Praising Christianity

A video purportedly showing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat making remarks about the “saffronisation” of the Indian Army has been widely circulated on social media. The clip claims that Bhagwat called for the removal of non-Hindus from the armed forces and linked the issue to future political leadership changes in the country.

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Claim

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However, a verification by the Cyber Peace Foundation has established that the video is misleading and has been digitally manipulated.

In the video, Bhagwat is allegedly heard saying that unless more than 50 percent of non-Hindus are removed from the Indian Army by 2028, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be replaced by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The clip further attributes another statement to him, suggesting that he would resign if the Prime Minister were to demand Nitish Kumar’s resignation.

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By the time of publication, the video had been viewed over 7,000 times.( lINK, ARCHIVE Link, Screenshot

• https://x.com/Shaveta_Meena/status/2008824625741148611?s=20 
• https://archive.ph/qmVYy 

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Fact Check: 

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The reverse image search also directed the Desk to a video uploaded on CNN-News18’s official YouTube channel on December 21, 2025. The footage was found to be a longer version of the viral clip and was recorded at the RSS centenary event held in Kolkata on the same date. A comparison of both videos confirmed that the background visuals, stage setup and camera angles were identical.

However, a careful review of the original CNN-News18 video revealed that Mohan Bhagwat did not make any of the statements attributed to him in the viral clip.

In his original address, Bhagwat spoke about unity and referred to concerns over increasing atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh. He made no reference to the Indian Army, nor did he comment on its composition or alleged saffronisation. Here is the link to the original video, along with a screenshot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnsAUGfBQBk&t=1s 

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In the next phase of the investigation, the audio track from the viral video was extracted and analysed using the AI audio detection tool Aurigin. The tool’s assessment indicated that the voice heard in the clip was artificially generated, confirming that the audio did not originate from the original speech.

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Conclusion

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The claim that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for the saffronisation of the Indian Army is false. PTI Fact Check found that the viral video was digitally manipulated, using genuine footage from an RSS centenary event but pairing it with an AI-generated audio track. The altered video was shared online to mislead viewers by falsely attributing statements Bhagwat never made.

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Introduction

The hospitality industry is noted to be one of the industries most influenced by technology. Hotels, restaurants, and travel services are increasingly reliant on digital technologies to automate core operations and customer interactions. The shift to electronic modes of conducting business has made the industry a popular target for cyber threats. In light of increasing cyber threats, safeguarding personal and sensitive personal data on the part of the hospitality industry becomes significant not only from a customer standpoint but also from an organisational and legal perspective.

Role of cybersecurity in the hospitality industry

A hospitality industry-based entity (“HI entity”) deploys several technologies not only to automate operations but to also deliver excellent customer experiences. Technologies such as IoTs that enable smart controls in rooms, Point-of-Sale systems that manage reservations, Call Accounting Systems that track and record customer calls, keyless entry systems, and mobile apps that facilitate easy booking and service requests are popularly used in addition to operative technologies such as Property Management Systems, Hotel Accounting Systems, Local Area Networks (LAN).{1} These technologies collect vast volumes of data daily due to the nature of operations. Such data necessarily includes personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email IDs etc. and sensitive information such as gender, bank account and payment details, health information pertaining to food allergens etc. Resultantly, the breach and loss of such critical data impacts customer trust and loyalty and in turn, their retention within the business. Lack of adequate cybersecurity measures also impacts the reputation and goodwill of an HI entity since customers are more likely to opt for establishments that prioritise the protection of their data. In 2022, cybercriminals syphoned 20GB of internal documents and customer data from Marriott Hotels, which included credit card information and staff information such as wage data, corporate card number and even a personnel assessment file. A much larger breach was seen in 2018, where 383 million booking records and 5.3 million unencrypted passport numbers were stolen from Marriott’s servers.{2}

Cybersecurity is also central to safeguarding trade secrets and key confidential trade information. An estimate of US $6 trillion per year on average amounts to losses generated from cybercrimes.{3} The figure, however, does not include the cost of breach, expenses related to incident response, legal fees, regulatory fines etc which may be significantly higher for a HI entity when loss of potential profits is factored in.

Cybersecurity is also central from a legal standpoint. Legal provisions in various jurisdictions mandate the protection of guest data. In India, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, imposes a penalty of up to Rs. 50 Crores on a breach in observing obligations to take reasonable security safeguards to prevent personal data breach.{4} Similarly, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union also has guidelines for protecting personal data. Several other industry-specific rules, such as those pertaining to consumer protection,  may also be applicable.

Breaches and Mitigation

There are several kinds of cyber security threats faced by an HI entity. “Fake Booking” is a popular method of cyber attack, whereby attackers build and design a website that is modelled exactly after the hotel’s legitimate website. Many customers end up using such malicious phishing websites thereby exposing their personal and sensitive personal data to threats. Additionally, the provision of free wifi within hotel premises, usually accessible freely to the public, implies that a malicious actor may introduce viruses and updates bearing malware. Other common cyber threats include denial of service (DoS) attacks, supply chain attacks, ransomware threats, SQL injection attacks (a type of attack where malicious code is inserted into a database to manipulate data and gain access to information), buffer overflow or buffer overrun (when the amount of data exceeds its storage capacity, implying that the excess data overflows into other memory locations and corrupt or overwrites data in those locations). 

One of the best ways to manage data breaches is to leverage newer technologies that operate on a “privacy by design” model. An HI entity must deploy web application firewalls (WAF) that differ from regular firewalls since they can filter the content of specific web applications and prevent cyber attacks. Another method to safeguard data is by deploying a digital certificate which binds a message/instruction to the owner/generator of the message. This is useful in preventing any false claims fraud by customers. Digital certificates may be deployed on distributed ledger technologies such as blockchain, that are noted for their immutability, transparency and security. Self-sovereign identities or Identifiers (SSI) are also a security use-concept of blockchain whereby individuals own and control their personal data, thereby eliminating reliance on central authorities.{5} In the hospitality industry, SSIs enhance cybersecurity by securely storing identity-related information on a decentralised network, thereby reducing the risk of data breaches. Users can selectively share their information, ensuring privacy and minimising data exposure. This approach not only protects guests' personal details but also streamlines authentication processes, making interactions safer and more efficient.

From a less technical standpoint, cybersecurity insurance may be opted for by a hotel to secure themselves and customer information against breach. Through such insurance, a hotel may cover the liability that arises from breaches caused by both first- and third-party actions.{6} Additionally, Payment Cards Industry Data Security Standards should be adhered to, since these standards ensure that businesses should apply best practices when processing credit card data through optimised security. Employee training and upskilling in basic, practical cybersecurity measures and good practices is also a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

References:

• [1]  The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity in the Hospitality Industry”, Alfatec, 11 September 2023 https://www.alfatec.ai/academy/resource-library/the-growing-importance-of-cybersecurity-in-the-hospitality-industry
• [2]  Vigliarolo, Brandon, “Marriott Hotels admit to third data breach in 4 years”, 6 July 2022 https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/06/marriott_hotels_suffer_yet_another/#:~:text=In%20the%20case%20of%20the,of%20an%20individual%20organization%20ever. 

• [3] Shabani, Neda & Munir, Arslan. (2020). A Review of Cyber Security Issues in the Hospitality Industry. 10.1007/978-3-030-52243-8_35. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342683038_A_Review_of_Cyber_Security_Issues_in_Hospitality_Industry/citation/download    
• [4] The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Digital%20Personal%20Data%20Protection%20Act%202023.pdf 
• [5]  “What is self-sovereign identity?”, Sovrin, 6 December 2018 https://sovrin.org/faq/what-is-self-sovereign-identity/ 
• [6] Yasar, Kinza, “Cyber Insurance”, Tech Target https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/cybersecurity-insurance-cybersecurity-liability-insurance 

Introduction

In 2019 India got its bill on Data protection in the form of the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019. This bill focused on digital rights and duties pertaining to data privacy. However, the bill was scrapped by the Govt in mid-2022, and a new bill was drafted, Successor bill was introduced as the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 on 18th November 2022, which was made open for public comments and consultations and now the bill is expected to be tabled at the parliament in the Monsoon session.

What is DPDP, 2022?

Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, is the lasted draft regulation for data privacy in India. The bill has been essentially focused towards data protection by companies and the keep aspect of Puttaswamy judgement of data privacy as a fundamental right has been upheld under the scope of the bill. The bill comes after nearly 150 recommendations which the parliamentary committee made when the PDP, 2019 was scrapped.

The bill highlights the following keen aspects-

• Data Fiduciary- The entity (an individual, company, firm, state, etc.) which decides the purpose and means of processing an individual’s personal data.
• Data Principle- The individual to whom personal data is related.
• Processing- The entire cycle of operations that can be carried out concerning personal data.
• Gender Neutrality- For the first time in India’s legislative history, “her” and “she” have been used to refer to individuals irrespective of gender.
• Right to Erase Data- Data principals will have the right to demand the erasure and correction of data collected by the data fiduciary.
• Cross-border data transfer- The bill allows cross-border data after an assessment of relevant factors by the Central Government.
• Children’s Rights- The bill guarantees the right to digital privacy under the protection of parents/guardians.
• Heavy Penalties- The bill enforces heavy penalties for non-compliance with the provisions, not exceeding Rs 500 crore.

Data Protection Board

The bill lays down provisions for setting up a Data Protection Board. This board will be an independent body acting solely on the factors of data privacy and protection of the data principles and maintaining compliance by data fiduciaries. The board will be headed by a chairperson of essential and relevant qualifications, and members and various other officials shall assist him/her under the board. The board will serve grievance redressal to the data principles and can conduct investigation, inquiry, proceeding, and pass orders equivalent to a Civil court. The proceeding will be undertaken on the principle of natural justice, and the aggrieved can file an appeal to the High Court of appropriate jurisdiction.

Global Comparison

Many countries have data protection laws that regulate the processing of personal data. Some of the notable examples include:

• European Union: The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the world’s most comprehensive data protection laws. It regulates public and private entities’ processing of personal data and gives individuals a wide range of rights over their personal data.
• United States: The US has several data protection laws that apply to specific sectors or types of data, such as health data (HIPAA) or financial data (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act). However, there is no comprehensive federal data protection law in the US.
• Japan: Japan’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) regulates the handling of personal data by private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data.
• Australia: Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 regulates the handling of personal data by public and private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data.
• Brazil: Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD) regulates the processing of personal data by public and private entities and gives individuals certain rights over their personal data. It also imposes heavy fines and penalties on entities that violate the provisions of the law.

Overall, while there are some similarities in data protection laws across countries, there are also significant differences in scope, applicability, and enforcement. It is important for organisations to understand the data protection laws that apply to their operations and take appropriate steps to comply with these laws.

Parliamentary Asscent

The case of violation of the privacy policy by WhatsApp at the Hon’ble Supreme Court resulted in a significant advocacy for Data privacy as a fundamental right, and it was held that, as suggested otherwise in the privacy policy, Whatsapp was sharing its user’s data with Meta. This massive breach of trust could have led to data mismanagement affecting thousands of Indian users. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has taken due consideration of data privacy and its challenges in India and asked the Govt to table the bill in Parliament. The bill will be tabled for discussion in the monsoon session. The Supreme Court has set up a constitutional bench to check the bill’s scope, extent and applications and provide its judicial oversight.  The constitution bench of Justices KM Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar has fixed the matter for hearing in August in order to enforce the potential changes and amendments in the act post the parliamentary discussion.

Conclusion

India is the world’s largest democracy, so the crucial aspects of passing laws and amendments have always been followed by the government and kept under check by the judiciary. The discussion over bills is a crucial part of the democratic process, and bills as important as Digital Personal Data Protection need to be discussed and analysed thoroughly in both houses of Parliament to ensure the govt passes a sustainable and efficient law.