Authors
Vaibhav is a part of Newschecker’s English team, where he spots and debunks all kinds of misinformation, making the rounds on the internet. A Journalism graduate from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, he holds an M.A degree in Philosophy and an M.Phil from Delhi University.
After the violence in Rajasthan’s Karauli over stones being hurled at a bike rally that was held to commemorate the Hindu New year, yet another video has surfaced online, claiming that to show Muslims blocking the route of another ‘yatra’ held to mark the occasion of the Hindu New Year. The video shows two groups of men in a standoff with each other, hurling abuses and showing threatening gestures at each other, while the police attempt to quell the tension. The voiceover in the video can be heard saying that the incident took place on the event of Hindu New Year, but fails to mention where or when.
The video, shared on Youtube channel ‘India Thought’ has garnered 1,63,296 views on the platform along with 15,000 likes. The caption of the video reads‘हिंदू नव वर्ष की रैली में समुदाय विशेष के भीड़ ने किया हमला रैली को आगे नहीं जाने दिया’ which when translated reads ‘The Hindu New Year rally was interrupted by a specific community which did not allow the rally to go ahead.’
Newschecker found similar claims on Facebook with similar captions.
The video can be seen here.
The video is being shared amid reports of the clashes that erupted in Karauli, Rajasthan on 2nd April, 2022 after a Hindu New Year rally was met with stones pelted at them while passing through a Muslim neighbourhood. Following this incident, shops and vehicles were set ablaze in which several people were injured. Social media has since been abuzz with misinformation and unsubstantiated claims.
Also Read: Video Of Youth Climbing Mosque & Waving Saffron Flag Is Not From Karauli Violence
Fact Check/ Verification
Newschecker conducted a Google reverse image search on the viral images to ascertain its authenticity and found a longer version of the video on Youtube uploaded on 13th July, 2017 by a Youtube channel called ‘jimmy karwal’ titled ‘shiv sena v/s muslim in phagwara’.
Upon conducting a keyword search using “Shiv Sena”, “Muslim” and “Phagwara”, Newschecker found a news article uploaded by the Indian Express on 23rd July, 2016.
According to the article the incident took place in Punjab’s Phagwara, when Muslim and Hindu groups taking out separate protest marches, came face-to-face. “Coming face-to-face during their protest marches, Shiv Sena leaders and Muslims clashed with each other at Phagwara on Friday. No casualties were reported as the police managed to control the situation,” the report said.
According to the article, after the disruption of the Amarnath Yatra, the Shiv Sena members had targeted Muslim shop owners in Phagwara by vandalising shops, following which the Muslims of the area had taken out a rally under the the leadership of Uvais-ur- Rehman, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid of Phagwara. In response to the rally, Shiv Sena members took out their own rally led by their state vice-president Inderjit Karwal, while raising anti-Pakistan slogans.
Upon further investigation, Newschecker found a Youtube video uploaded a news channel called ‘TV84’ upon their official Youtube channel on 26th July, 2016 which carried similar visuals seen in the viral video, titled ‘Shiv Sena Attacks Mosque In Phagwara & Sikhs, Muslims Unites Against Shiv Sena.’
Conclusion
According to the investigation conducted by Newschecker, a 2016 video from in Punjab’s Phagwara, showing communal clashes between members of Shiv Sena and Muslims groups is being passed off as a Hindu New Year rally being stopped by a group of Muslims.
Result: False Context/False
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Authors
Vaibhav is a part of Newschecker’s English team, where he spots and debunks all kinds of misinformation, making the rounds on the internet. A Journalism graduate from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, he holds an M.A degree in Philosophy and an M.Phil from Delhi University.
