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
Muslims disguised as Sikh farmers are joining the protest march.
Fact
2022 video of a turban langar organised at the last prayer meet of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
Farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march, which is currently on hold, has amassed massive social media traction since its commencement on February 13. The social media platforms are inundated with unverified visuals claiming to show the ongoing farmers’ agitation. Now, a video of a man removing his skull cap to don a turban is being widely shared online, with users giving a communal tone to the protest.
Those sharing the footage claimed to have unearthed the “reality” of the farmers’ protest, adding that members of Muslims disguised as Sikh are joining the agitation, thereby giving it a communal twist. Newschecker found that the video is nearly 2-year-old, and has been shared with a fabricated narrative.
Archived versions of such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Farmer unions have put their protest march on hold, following the recent deliberations with the centre on Sunday. In the fourth round of the talks, the centre reportedly proposed a five-year plan to buy pulses, maize, and cotton crops from them at the minimum support price, or MSP.
Sarvan Singh Pandher, the general secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said “We will have discussions on the proposal by the government in the next two days…The government will also deliberate on the other demands…We will continue with the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 21 if there is no result.”
Fact Check/Verification
A Google lens search on the keyframes of the viral video led us to a X post by @chouhan_jasmeet, dated June 9, 2022. The post featured the viral footage, confirming that the clip is old and not connected to the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Further, we noticed Punjabi text saying, “Turban training camp on the last prayer of Sidhu Moose Wala” (translated with Google) superimposed on the video.
We also spotted a banner in the background with a photograph of Moose Wala, and partly legible Punjabi text saying, “Sardarian trust.”
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “Sardarian trust,””Sidhu Moose Wala,” “turban,” and “camp” in Punjabi on Google. This yielded a Facebook post by Sardarian Trust Punjab, dated June 10, 2022, carrying the viral video. The caption stated that on the last prayer meet for singer Sidhu Moose Wala, the Sardarian Trust had organised a turban training camp. Members of Hindu and Muslim community also participated in the same.
The video was shared on their Instagram account.
Also Read: Alcohol Distributed At Farmers’ Protest? No, Viral Video Is From 2020
We also found a poster of the event on their Instagram page.
Newschecker reached out to Harpreet Singh, Ludhiana District President, Sardarian Trust, who confirmed that the video shows a Dastar Langar, that was organised on Moose Wala’s last prayer meet at the request of his father. Singh added that people from all the religions had joined the event.
He also shared a video of men inviting the singer’s supporters and youth to the turban camp. Balkaur Singh, Moose Wala’s father, can also be seen in the same video.
Conclusion
We could thus conclude that a nearly two-year-old video of the turban langar organised during the last prayer meet of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala has been falsely linked to the farmers’ protest.
Result: False
Sources
X Post By @chouhan_jasmeet, Dated June 9, 2022
Facebook Post By Sardarian Trust Punjab, Dated June 10, 2022
Instagram Post By @sardarian_trust_punjab, Dated June 7, 2022
Telephonic Conversation With Harpreet Singh, Ludhiana District President, Sardarian Trust On February 19, 2024
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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.
