Fact-Check: Ajit Doval did say ISI recruited more Hindus than Muslims, deepfake claim false
New Delhi: Days after the November 10 terrorist attack near Delhi’s Red Fort that killed at least 13 people and injured many others, a video of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval resurfaced on social media, sparking widespread debate. In the 35-second clip, Doval is heard saying that “more Hindus than Muslims have been recruited for ISI tasks in India.” The video was shared by several users attempting to counter communal narratives that emerged following the blast.
Shortly after the clip went viral, Doval told CNN-News18 that the video was a “deepfake” and insisted he had never made such a statement.
He said the clip was likely created to distort public opinion and target India’s counter-terrorism narrative. Moneycontrol later also published a report echoing his claim.
However, a detailed fact-check by Alt News showed that the viral video was not fake. The organisation conducted a reverse image search of keyframes from the clip and traced it to a 1 hour 17 minute lecture uploaded on YouTube by the Australia India Institute on March 20, 2014. The original lecture was delivered on March 11, 2014 — long before deepfake tools became commonly known or widely used.
At around the 1:04:00 mark of the authentic video, Doval can be heard clearly stating that the number of individuals recruited by Pakistan’s ISI for intelligence tasks in India included “more Hindus than Muslims,” adding that out of more than 4,000 cases since 1947, “probably not even 20 percent would be Muslims.” The fact-check confirms that these remarks were indeed made by Doval over a decade ago.
Alt News also noted that the viral clip circulating now is a short excerpt from a much longer lecture in which Doval repeatedly warns against viewing terrorism through a communal lens. In his full address, he stressed that national security is not a Hindu versus Muslim issue, and pointed out that Indian Muslims have historically opposed terrorism. He referenced the 2012 Ramleela Maidan gathering where 50,000 Maulanas issued a fatwa against global terrorism, and said that casualties of Islamic terrorism globally have overwhelmingly been Muslims themselves. He also noted that top Islamic leaders in India had been on the target list of the Indian Mujahideen.
In the lecture, Doval added that a small violent fringe is often mistaken for the voice of Islam, whereas the majority of Indian Muslims reject violence. He also recalled that Indian Muslims made significant contributions to the freedom movement.
Alt News concluded that the viral video is genuine and not AI-generated, and that NSA Doval’s recent claim calling it a deepfake is incorrect. The fact-check, while confirming the authenticity of the clip, also points out that selective circulation of a short excerpt strips away the broader context of Doval’s full remarks on terrorism, national security and communal harmony.
Fake News by @CNNnews18 claiming Ajit Doval's video is a Deep-Fake. In 2014, NSA Ajit Doval did say ISI recruited more Hindus than Muslims in India. Here is a Fact Check: https://t.co/kuTD1MN8f2 https://t.co/GaF1kMRPnO pic.twitter.com/dVFvChLxy6
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) November 17, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
