Viral Video Misrepresents Act of Kindness, Later Clarified by Driver

कात्तिक १७, २०८२ १०:१४

Kathmandu: A video shared on social media for views without understanding the real context has been widely criticized as an insult to those who help others.

The video was posted with the caption, “Father’s old clothes didn’t get a seat in his son’s new car.” It shows a jeep with the red license plate number Ba 20 Cha 4151, where an elderly man is seen holding onto the back of the vehicle. In the background, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s emotional song “Main Jahan Rahun” plays.

The user named Rajan, who filmed and uploaded the clip, captioned it as “A humiliating video of an elderly father.” The video quickly went viral but also drew heavy criticism for misrepresenting the situation.

Many viewers commented that such videos should not be posted without knowing the full story. Some criticized the uploader for trying to make the video more dramatic by commenting, “How cruel is it to leave an old man outside when there’s an empty seat inside?”

Others, however, said the scene may not be as it appears. Some users noted they had traveled in the back of jeeps before and suggested there was no intention to humiliate the elderly man. One commenter wrote, “It seems help was offered. There’s no insult in that.”

A few angry users even said such vehicles should be destroyed, while others called for calm and perspective. “For a traveler, the destination is what matters. The one who helps is like a god. There’s no insult in help,” wrote Suwan Lama.

Despite the criticism, the video went viral, gaining 2 million views, over 124,000 reactions, and more than 2,200 comments. Rajan later posted another clip from the same incident, captioned, “I’d rather walk than take humiliating help.” This second video also drew mixed reactions, with 1.2 million views, 47,000 likes, and 800 comments.

Later, the driver of the jeep, Madhav Bartaula, revealed what actually happened. He commented, “He came to open a bank account. I offered him a lift, but he said he would vomit if he sat inside. That’s why he chose to stay outside. This, too, was a kind of help.”

His wife, Malti Bartaula, confirmed the same story. She wrote, “It’s our car. My husband was driving. The elderly man was offered a seat inside, but he vomited. So, they let him ride outside to his destination. What’s wrong with that?”

After their clarification, Rajan posted another video showing the same car and driver, admitting his mistake and explaining the truth. However, he did not remove the earlier misleading videos, which continued to circulate online.