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
Recent video of Yati Narsinghanand making derogatory remarks on CM Yogi Adityanath.
Fact
Video from October 2023 shared out of context.
A video purportedly showing Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, the priest of Dasna Temple in Ghaziabad, making derogatory comments on UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has gone viral on social media platforms. The footage has surfaced amid widespread protests against Narsinghanand’s inflammatory remarks on Prophet Muhammad, which also attracted multiple FIRs against the priest.
Several X and Facebook users shared the nearly one-minute-thirty-second-long-video mocking him with a Hindi caption, “दोस्तो लगता है खूब तबीयत से धोया पुलिस वालो ने? (Seems like police have thrashed him brutally)” Newschecker, however, found the video to be old.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
While doing relevant keyword search on X to understand the virality of the claim, we found a post by user @syedumar584, dated October 10, 2023, carrying the same video of Yati Narsinghanand.
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “यति नरसिंहानंद” and “योगी आदित्यनाथ” and “पुलिस” on Google, and set the time period of the search from October 1 to October 15, 2023. This yielded a report by Jansatta, dated October 10, 2023, carrying a screengrab from the same footage.
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It detailed Yati Narsinghanand’s comments on the UP Chief Minister, as heard in the viral video, and added that the incident relates to a protest against legal action on Hindu Raksha Dal president Bhupendra Chaudhary alias Pinky Tomar. The priest reportedly fell down during a scuffle between the protesters and the police, following which he made these remarks.
We also found a report by Navbharat Times, dated October 11, 2023, also stated that a FIR was logged against the Dasna temple priest over his derogatory remarks on Yogi Adityanath.
A report by ABP News on the incident, dated October 11, 2023, also featured snippets from the viral video showing an infuriated Yati Narsinghanand directing his anger towards CM Yogi Adityanath.
Also Read: Viral Video Of Manmohan Singh Promoting Investment Scheme Is A Deepfake
Conclusion
Hence, old remarks of Yati Narsinghanand on CM Yogi Adityanath have been shared out of context amid the ongoing row over his contentious comments on Prophet Muhammad.
Result: Missing Context
Sources
Report By Jansatta, Dated October 10, 2023
Report By Navbharat Times, Dated October 11, 2023
YouTube Video By ABP News, Dated October 11, 2023
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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.
