A violent communal clash broke out in Maharashtra’s Nagpur on Monday (March 17) after rumours spread that a holy book was burned during a protest by members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding a removal of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb.
In this backdrop, a video showing a massive gathering wielding saffron flags, and chanting slogans in praise of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has gone viral on social media platforms. The text overlay in the video reads, “Power of Nagpur.”
Multiple X and Facebook users shared the video with hashtag “#NagpurViolence” insinuating that the clip is linked to the recent unrest in the city. Newschecker, however, found the video to be old.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
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Fact Check/Verification
On carefully analysing the viral clip, we spotted the watermark of one “@vedantcreation__” at the bottom of the screen. Taking a clue, we looked up for the handle on social media platforms, and found an Instagram account by the same username.
We skimmed through the account, and found that the viral video was shared on December 10, 2024. Notably, the user shared the video on his Instagram story as well around 15 hours prior to writing this article.
The same video was also shared on his Facebook profile on December 10, 2024.
Another Facebook post from December 2024 featured the same video. We also noticed participants of the rally holding placards displaying the text “Bangladeshi Hindus,” and a banner of “Sakal Hindu Samaj” in the video.
Using this information, we looked up keywords “Sakal Hindu Samaj”, “rally”, “Bangladeshi Hindus” and “Nagpur” in Marathi on Google which led us to a report by ABP Majha, dated December 10, 2024. Carrying visuals similar to the viral video, it stated the RSS and other organisations organised a rally under the banner of the Sakal Hindu Samaj, against the atrocities on Bangladeshi Hindus.
On comparing the keyframes of the viral clip with those featured in the ABP Majha report, we could conclude that they showed the same protest.
We were also able to geo-locate the spot where the viral clip was shot, and found it to be the same as seen in the video report by ABP Majha.
Times of India also shared photographs of the protest organised in Nagpur on December 10, 2024. These photographs, too, show the same location as seen in the viral clip.
Multiple outlets such as this, this and this also reported on the rally organised under the banner of Sakal Hindu Samaj in Nagpur to protest against the atrocities of minorities in Bangladesh.
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Conclusion
We find that an old video of a rally against atrocities of minorities in Bangladesh has been falsely linked to the recent Nagpur violence.
Sources
Instagram post by @vedantcreation__, Dated December 10, 2024
YouTube Video By ABP Majha, Dated December 10, 2024
Google Maps
Times of India Images
