Claim:
A video shared on social media claims to show Microsoft co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
Fact:
False. The person in the video is not Bill Gates but a foreign tourist.
Evidence:
- Social Media Investigation:
- The viral video was analyzed using the InVid Tool, revealing keyframes shared across various social media posts with similar claims.
- Several users also linked the video to other events, such as the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, further muddying the claim’s validity.
- Official Statements:
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation confirmed that the claim is false, stating via email that Gates did not visit the temple.
- Geolocation Analysis:
- A keyframe from the video was geolocated to Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi.
- The location and surroundings in the video matched the ghat, not the Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises.
- Absence of News Reports:
- No credible news sources or social media accounts, including Gates’ own verified accounts, reported any recent visit to India.
- Gates’ last documented visit to India was in March 2024, detailed in his blog on his official website, Gates Notes.
Conclusion:
The viral video claiming to show Bill Gates at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi is misleading. The man in the video is a foreign tourist, not Gates. This is a false claim spread on social media.