Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Videos of people persuading others not to vote for the BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha Polls.
Fact
Campaign held in 2021 ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections have been shared out of context.
With the announcement of the 2024 poll schedule, social media users are profusely sharing political content, supporting or calling out politicians and parties. In this background, multiple social media users are posting videos and images persuading people to not vote for the BJP. Newschecker found that at least two such videos have been shared out of context.
‘No Vote To BJP’ Ahead 2024 Polls?
A video of people with a placard saying “No Vote To BJP” at different locations such as a tea stall, bus, and market among others is being widely shared on X. Multiple users shared the thirty-three-second-long-video linking it to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections asserting that the “winds of change are blowing.” Newschecker found that the video is from an old campaign, and has been shared out of context.
Archived versions of such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
We looked up the phrase “No Vote To BJP” campaign on Google which yielded the X account of @No_Vote_To_BJP. It’s display picture featured a similar logo as seen in the last frame of the viral video, and description said “#NoVoteToBJP in #BengalElection202”
We skimmed through the profile, and found that the viral video was uploaded on March 12, 2021.
Further, the video was uploaded on their YouTube channel on February 13, 2021, stating, “A large number of people unanimously expressed their views to not vote for BJP at several iconic places of Kolkata.”
The viral clip was also shared on the Instagram handle of @novotetobjp on February 16, 2021 with the caption “#NoVoteToBJP in #BengalElections2021”
We then looked up “No Vote To BJP campaign,” and “2021 West Bengal Elections” on Google led us to multiple reports detailing a campaign that was launched in Bengal ahead of the state polls discouraging people from voting in favour of the BJP.
A report by Telegraph India, dated March 7, 2021, stating, “A clutch of social organisations that had protested against the new citizenship matrix and supported the poor when a sudden lockdown was forced on them has launched a campaign called No Vote to BJP.”
“The campaign has reached various districts, organising meetings, performing skits, distributing pamphlets and putting up posters with one clarion call — “vote any party you want but the BJP”.”
Also Read: Is The Congress Candidate From Thrissur Campaigning With The Pakistan Flag?
Times Of India report, dated April 17, 2021, stated “Running parallel to that of political parties, the platform “No Vote to BJP” was set up by a group of political and civil rights activists in January.”
“The alarm bells rang when BJP won 18 of the 42 seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls… we knew we had to do something… BJP’s ideology or culture is in basic conflict with the ethos of people here… its presence can only create conflict,” the report quoted Kushal Debnath, a senior leader of the platform, as saying.
Other reports on the campaign can be seen here, here and here.
NRIs Saying ‘No Vote To BJP’?
A forty-two-second-long-video featuring people from different parts of the world seemingly passing a placard saying “No Vote To BJP” has been widely linked to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on social media platforms. Newschecker found that the video is old, and has been shared out of context.
Archived versions of such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
We found that the video was uploaded on the Instagram by @novotetobjp, on April 24, 2021, with the caption, “people’s judgement all over the world There is no division in Bengal #NoVoteToBJP in #BengalElections2021(translated from Bengali by Google)”
The video was also shared on the campaign’s X handle on April 24, 2021.
Notably, the same video had gone viral in April 2023 with social media users linking it to the Karnataka Assembly Elections. Newschecker had fact checked the same on April 26, 2023. Our full fact check can be seen here.
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that videos from a campaign held in 2021 ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections have been shared out of context, and misleadingly linked to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Result: Missing Context
Sources
X Post By @No_Vote_To_BJP, Dated March 12, 2021
YouTube Video By No Vote To BJP, Dated February 13, 2021
Instagram Post By @novotetobjp, Dated April 24, 2021
X Post By @No_Vote_To_BJP, Dated April 24, 2021
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
