Mumbai, September 9: In 2023, several news channels circulated misinformation claiming that Asle Toje, Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, had described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize. Although Toje himself debunked this fake news at the time, the false claim has recently resurfaced online. Certain social media accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram are once again falsely asserting that PM Modi is the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize.

On September 9, an account named "defencealerts" shared a video clip from a news broadcast on X and Instagram, falsely claiming that Asle Toje praised PM Modi as the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to promote peace and stop wars. Is PM Modi Govt Giving INR 3,500 per Month to Unemployed Youth Under ‘PM Berojgari Bhatta Yojana’? PIB Fact Check Debunks Claim Made in Video Thumbnails of YouTube Channel ‘ManojSirJobs’.

Screenshot of fake claim that Asle Toje, Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, had described PM Modi as the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize (Photo Credits: X)

Fact Check

The truth is that Asle Toje never said that PM Modi was the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize. When this misinformation first emerged in 2023, Toje clarified that he had made no such claim. He also stated that he was in India not as the Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, but as a Director of International Peace and Understanding and as a representative of the India Center Foundation (ICF). Supriya Shrinate Debunks Fake Affair Claim; Says Viral Photo Does Not Show Her With ND Tiwari’s Brother, It’s Her Father.

"And I am here in India to talk about your politics and development. That said, I am the deputy leader of the Nobel committee. A fake news tweet was sent out and we should treat it as fake news. It's fake. Let's not discuss it or give it energy or oxygen. I categorically deny that I said anything resembling what was in that tweet," Toje told news agency ANI.

Asle Toje Praised PM Modi's Peace Efforts

Referring to PM Modi's remarks in context of the Russia-Ukraine war, Toje said: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that 'this is not the era of war' was an expression of hope. India has given signals that this is not how we should resolve world disputes today. PM Modi has the worth majority of the world's population behind him."

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Rating:5

TruLY Score 5 – Trustworthy | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 5 on LatestLY. It is verified through official sources (Nobel Committee Official Asle Toje). The information is thoroughly cross-checked and confirmed. You can confidently share this article with your friends and family, knowing it is trustworthy and reliable.

Fact check

Did Nobel Committee Official Call PM Narendra Modi the ‘Biggest Contender’ for Nobel Peace Prize? Here’s the Truth As Fake News Resurfaces
Claim :

Asle Toje, Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "biggest contender" for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Conclusion :

This Is A Fake Claim. Asle Toje Did Not Make Any Such Remark.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 09, 2025 02:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).