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Multiple political leaders became the target of misinformation this week. While news outlets and political parties shared clipped videos of MDMK chief Vaiko’s remarks, footage from Odisha was falsely shared as public beating up a BJP leader campaigning in Tamil Nadu. From a fake news clipping accusing Kejriwal of rape to false claims on Mallikarjun Kharge, here are our top fact checks from the week:
ANI, News Outlets, Political Parties Misleadingly Share Clipped Videos Of Vaiko’s Remarks Over Katchatheevu Issue
Indian news agency ANI tweeted a 10-second clip of MDMK chief Vaiko saying, “Congress betrayed Tamil Nadu on every front at the time,” which was promptly reported by several media outlets. Congress’ Supriya Shrinate, tweeted a 17-second video where Vaiko is heard saying, “These 10 years were a testing time for Narendra Modi…He betrayed Tamil Nadu, he betrayed India, he betrayed Sri Lanka”. Newschecker found that clipped videos of Vaiko’s remarks to a reporter over the Katchatheevu row have been shared misleadingly by political parties and news outlets. Read more here.
Video Showing DMK Leader Distributing Gifts As Part of New Year Celebrations Falsely Linked To Polls
A video has been shared claiming that the DMK is violating the Model Code of Conduct by distributing cash and gifts to voters. Newschecker found that the video was uploaded to Facebook on January 3, 2024, well before the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections came into force on March 16, 2024. Furthermore, the DMK leader seen in the video,Thomas Alva Edison, issued a clarification stating that the claims of him distributing money were completely false. Read more here.
Did Public Beat up BJP leader Campaigning In Tamil Nadu? No, Viral Video Shows Scuffle Between Odisha BJP Leaders From 2023 Roadshow
Several social media users are sharing a video, claiming that it shows the residents of Tamil Nadu purportedly thrashing a BJP leader after pulling him down from his campaign vehicle during a roadshow. Some users have also tagged Tamil Nadu BJP chief, K Annamalai, while sharing the video, calling BJP the “worst political party”. Newschecker found that the viral video shows a fight between BJP leaders during a 2023 roadshow in Odisha, not the public thrashing a BJP leader during his campaign in Tamil Nadu. Read more here.
Here’s The Truth Behind Viral Image Claiming To Show Mallikarjun Kharge ‘Not Applauding’ PV Narasimha Rao’s Bharat Ratna
President Droupadi Murmu awarded the Bharat Ratna to the recipients in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last week.One image from the ceremony, which saw family members of the recipients accepting the awards, has been doing the rounds of social media, purportedly showing Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not applauding when PV Prabhakar Rao, son of PV Narasimha Rao, received the award on behalf of his father. Newschecker found that the viral image has been taken out of context. A full length video of the ceremony shows Kharge applauding when the awards are announced. Read more here.
Newspaper Clipping Claiming Arvind Kejriwal Was Accused Of Rape In 1987 Found To Be Fake
Several social media users are circulating what appears to be an old newspaper clipping, dated June 8, 1987, purportedly stating that an IIT student, a then 19-year-old Arvind Kejriwal, was accused of rape. The Delhi chief minister, currently in judicial custody till April 15, was arrested by the ED last month in the alleged liquor policy scam case. Newschecker found that a fake newspaper clipping generated using an online tool has gone viral with the false claim that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested for rape when he was a student at IIT. Read more here.
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