Misleading Viral Clip Claims Yogendra Yadav’s Real Name is Salim and he hides it

A video clip featuring former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, social activist, and psephologist, Yogendra Yadav is making buzz on social media platforms. Citing this clip, some users have claimed that the AAP co-founder and a popular face in the India Against Corruption movement is actually a Muslim named Salim. The posts also allege that Yogendra Yadav hides his Muslim identity to mislead the nation.

However, when we investigated these claims we found them to be misleading. Though it is true that Yogendra Yadav was actually named Salim and people close to him still fondly address him by this name, he was renamed Yogendra in his school days. Let us hear what Yogendra Yadav said about his Muslim name and the controversy.

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In the video clip above, we can hear see an interview of Yogendra Yadav. The interviewer asks Yadav, “Do you have any issue if I call you Salim?” To which Yadav responds by saying,

“No, my childhood friends and family call me by this name. The people outside my close circle do not call me by this name.

My mother called me [Salim], and my old friends call address me by that name. Whenever someone on the telephone addresses me as Salim, I realize that the person on the other end is my childhood friend.

In addition, if someone calls me Yogendra, I realize this person is not from my childhood. There have always been two worlds for me. An intimate world, where I was Salim and an official world where I was Yogendra.

However, some 4-5 years ago, a controversy erupted. Just as it happens in this nation, everything is turned into a mockery. So, my name was also made a mockery.”

So, what is the truth? Is Yogendra Yadav’s real name still Salim or is it a nickname? What does his official records say? Let us investigate and find out.

Fact Check

We can clearly see the logo of Jist on the video. Therefore, we searched for the complete interview on their social media handles. On their Facebook page, we found a longer version of the clip that you could watch below.

In the video, Yogendra Yadav clarifies further when the interviewer Anil Sharda asks him, “What is the story behind this name?” To which Yadav responds, “This is not my story, but my father’s. My grandfather Ram Singh was a teacher and hostel warden in Hissar. One day, a communal riot broke out and a Muslim mob came to the hostel where my grandfather worked. They said some miscreants who desecrated a mosque are hiding in your hostel, hand them over to us. My grandfather refused and stated that he was their Guardian and cannot release them to the mob. The furious mob then murdered my grandfather. My father, who was eight years old at the time, saw all this. This deeply affected him. However, he did not join the RSS or mobilize Hindus against Muslims, because it was the era of Gandhi. Gandhiji heavily influenced my father. Therefore, he decided to give Muslim names to all his children. I believe he was trying to oust all his anti-Muslim sentiment in this way. He did not talk much about this.
Thus, when I was born, I was named Salim. This was my real name and not any nickname. When I started my schooling, I found this weird. Because everyone used to ask me why is your name Salim? When I went home, I asked why everyone asks about my name. Nobody asks other kids about their names. People started spreading rumors such as I was adopted or picked up from the streets. I eventually grew restless and I asked my name to be changed. Thus, a few names were written on a chit and I was asked to pick one. I picked Yogendra and since then this has been my name.”

You can watch the complete interview in the video given below.

The fact that Yogendra Yadav’s actual name is Yogendra can also be corroborated by the fact that in the affidavit submitted before the Election Commission, his name is written as Yogendra Singh. Thus, the allegation that he has been hiding his real name from everyone to conceal his actual religion hold no water.

Conclusion

From our investigation, it is evident that Yogendra Yadav has not concealed the fact that his childhood name is Salim. Yadav's father named him Salim in a secular response to the murder of Yadav's grandfather by a Muslim mob during the pre-independence era. However, Yadav changed his name after starting school due to mockery from other students.

Update 05-26-2023:

Some users have also falsely claimed that Yogendra Yadav's real name is Salim Khan and he is actually a Muslim concealing his identity to fool Hindu voters. Here is one such post. The caption of the post reads, "Look at this drama master “Yogendra Yadav” . Actual name is salim khan . There hv been too many in our politics like him who have been cheating us and softly manipulating hindu opinions ."