FACT CHECK: Did Indian Politician Rahul Gandhi Say That Pakistan Can Be ‘Bought’ For Less Than $1 Billion?

An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows a screenshot of a tweet from Indian lawmaker Rahul Gandhi claiming Pakistan can be “bought” for less than $1 billion. 

Verdict: False

The tweet is digitally fabricated. There is no record of Gandhi sending such a tweet. 

Fact Check: 

India is facing pressure to increase its defense spending in response to tensions along its borders with China and Pakistan, according to The New York Times. Despite this, an image shared on Facebook claims to show a screenshot of a tweet from Gandhi, a member of India’s parliament, criticizing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his government’s defense spending.

“Modi should explain to the nation why he spents (sic) billions of USD to purchase expansive weapons in the name of fighting Pakistan, when whole Pakistan can be bought in less than 1 Billion USD. #NationWantToKnow,” reads the alleged April 10 tweet. 

The tweet is digitally fabricated. No such tweet appears on Gandhi’s verified Twitter account or on archived versions of his account. There is likewise no record of the tweet on Politiwoops, a website that tracks the deleted tweets of politicians. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to corroborate the authenticity of the alleged tweet. 

A spokesperson for the All India Congress Committee, the political party Gandhi belongs to, confirmed to Reuters that Gandhi had not made the statement. (Related: Does This Image Show Russians Protesting Against American Involvement In Pakistani Affairs?)

This is not the first time misinformation involving Pakistan has gone viral. Check Your Fact recently debunked a viral Facebook post that claimed to show Russian citizens in Moscow demonstrating against U.S. involvement in Pakistan.

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