Authors
Sabloo Thomas has worked as a special correspondent with the Deccan Chronicle from 2011 to December 2019. Post-Deccan Chronicle, he freelanced for various websites and worked in the capacity of a translator as well (English to Malayalam and Malayalam to English). He’s also worked with the New Indian Express as a reporter, senior reporter, and principal correspondent. He joined Express in 2001.
Claim: Kerala has set a roadmap for shutting down electricity in the entire state on January 22, the day on which the consecration of Ram Mandir is scheduled.
Fact: The state government has not taken such a decision.
The newly built temple in Ayodhya would be opened for devotees after the consecration of the idol of Ram Lalla on January 22. The trust, in its latest update said, the consecration ceremony rituals will commence from January 16, a day after the Makar Sankranti.
In this background, a propaganda, is going on that Electricity supply will remain closed in entire Kerala on January 22. The propaganda is following the recent appeal made by CPM State Secretariat member P K Biju urging the people not to switch on their TV sets on January 22. Mr Biju made this statement while speaking at the inauguration of the Ernakulam district conference of Kerala School Teachers’ Association (KSTA).
There are also reports that KSEB is planning a major maintenance activity on that day, which may disrupt power supply across the state. Newschecker received the claim on our WhatsApp tipline (+91 9999499044) to be fact checked.
The claim is viral in twitter also. The archived version of the tweet can be seen here and here.
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Fact Check/Verification
We began by conducting a Google Keyword search with “Electricity supply will remain closed in entire Kerala on January 22,” but found no relevant reports.
We also visited the Facebook of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). There was no announcement about any such decisions there.
We reached out to one of the social media team of Kerala State Electricity Board, who denied the claim. “There is no major maintenance work of the Kerala State Electricity Board scheduled on the day,” one of the members of the social media team of the board told Newschecker.
We also reached out to P M Manoj, Press Secretary to the Chief Minister who rubbished the claim. “I contacted the KSEB, no major maintenance work has been scheduled on the day,” he said.
Conclusion
Thus, the viral claim asserting that Kerala has set a roadmap for shutting down electricity in the entire state on January 22, the day on which the consecration of Ram Mandir is scheduled is false.
Result: False
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Sources
Telephone Conversation with social media page of KSEB
Telephone Conversation P M Manoj, Press Secretary to the Chief Minister
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Authors
Sabloo Thomas has worked as a special correspondent with the Deccan Chronicle from 2011 to December 2019. Post-Deccan Chronicle, he freelanced for various websites and worked in the capacity of a translator as well (English to Malayalam and Malayalam to English). He’s also worked with the New Indian Express as a reporter, senior reporter, and principal correspondent. He joined Express in 2001.
