Pralhad Joshi did defend the 2022 release of the Bilkis Bano convicts as legal. He is now education minister. Calling it "agreement on release of rapists" pushes harder than his recorded words.
Why we say that›
Joshi defended Bilkis Bano convicts' legal release in 2022 and is now education minister.
All claims check out from recent reporting on Joshi's statements and his new role. The through-line holds because the reel links real past remarks to the current appointment. The language turns defence of a legal process into stronger-sounding "agreement on the release of rapists".
Based on only a few sources, so read this as a first look, not the last word.
The 11 men were convicted in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape and murder case during the Gujarat riots.
Reported 2 Aug 2026
Claims
4 true
- True
Prime Minister appointed a new education minister who expressed agreement on the release of rapists of a pregnant woman
What's actually true
Joshi is the new education minister after defending the legal release of the 11 Bilkis Bano convicts. He said it followed the law and found nothing wrong with it, not that he agreed to free rapists.
- True
Pralhad Joshi said there is nothing wrong in the release of the convicts and endorsed the Gujarat government's decision
What's actually true
Joshi publicly stated he saw nothing wrong in the release because it followed legal process and endorsed the Gujarat government's 2022 decision.
- True
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi defended the release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case saying it was done as per legal provision
What's actually true
In 2022 Joshi defended the Gujarat government's release of the 11 convicts, saying it was done as per legal provisions.
- True
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said he does not find anything wrong in the release because it is done as per the process of law
What's actually true
Joshi said he found nothing wrong with the release as it followed the process of law.
The full story, from the sources›
The Bilkis Bano case has returned to the spotlight after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi in Parliament, calling him a 'defender of rapists'. The remarks referred to Joshi's public defence of the Gujarat government's 2022 decision to grant remission to the 11 men convicted in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case. (Confirms recent appointment as Education Minister and resurfacing of 2022 defence). - brut.media the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made a “defender of rapists” the new education minister" (context: Rahul Gandhi on Joshi's 2022 remarks backing Bilkis Bano convicts release; PM appointed him after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned). - The Wire (2026-07-28)
From reporting
What else it leaves out (1)›
- The Gujarat government granted them early release in August 2022. The Supreme Court later cancelled it in 2023 and sent them back to jail.
How it's framed (2)›
Sources (2)›
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made a “defender of rapists” the new education minister" (context: Rahul Gandhi on Joshi's 2022 remarks backing Bilkis Bano convicts release; PM appointed him after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned).
The Bilkis Bano case has returned to the spotlight after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi in Parliament, calling him a 'defender of rapists'. The remarks referred to Joshi's public defence of the Gujarat government's 2022 decision to grant remission to the 11 men convicted in the Bilkis Bano gang rape and murder case. (Confirms recent appointment as Education Minister and resurfacing of 2022 defence).
About this account›
- ROXY account regularly posts political criticism, often targeting the current government and its ministers.
Notes on this check (5)›
- Video was successfully downloaded and keyframes analysed for on-screen text and claims.
- Sources are secondary reports from 2026 covering Rahul Gandhi's criticism; no independent primary transcript of Joshi's full 2022 remarks was provided.
- Parts of the audio did not transcribe cleanly.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "Pralhad Joshi said there is nothing wrong in the release …" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said he does not find anythi…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
Checked against 2 sources · 2 Aug 2026
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