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Only Half the State parties submitted their audit & contribution reports till date
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 26, 2019
Of the 50 odd recognized state parties, only 22 have submitted annual audit reports as on date for the year 2018-19. BJD, YSRCP, TRS & JD(S) reported a significant increase in their income in 2018-19, mainly through electoral bonds.
Inan earlier
story, we looked at the status of submission of ‘AnnualAudit Reports’ by recognized national parties and have analysed the reportsthat were submitted so far for 2018-19.  Asis the case with recognized national parties, even the recognized state partiesare required to submit their Annual
Audit reports along with Contributions Report and Expenditurereports.
Only
22 recognized state parties have submitted the Annual Audit Reports.
Asper Election Commission of India (ECI), there are currently 53 recognized stateparties. Out of these only 22
parties have submitted their Annual Audit report asof 25 November 2019. Among these 22 political parties, 11 parties havesubmitted the audit reports prior to the cut-off date of i.e. 31 October.
TheseParties include: AIADMK,AJSU, INLD, JD(U), JMM, JVM(P), MNS, PDA, RLD,SAD & SDF
Theother 11 recognized state parties which have submitted their annual auditreport for 2018-19, but not prior to 31 October cut-off are : AAP, BJD, DMDK, JD(S), SP, PMK, TRS & YSRC, MGP, NPF & NDPP.
26
recognised State political parties have submitted the Contribution reports
while 27 parties have submitted Expenditure reports.
Apartfrom the annual audit reports, the recognised state political parties are alsorequired to submit contribution report which provides the details of thecontributions received and also expenditure report which details theexpenditure by the political parties during general elections.
Thecut-off date to submit the contribution reports is 30th September for recognized state parties as well. However, as ondate only 26 state parties have submitted
the contribution reports. Of these, only 6 politicalparties have submitted prior to the cut-off date. These include : AIADMK, AIUDF, INLD, MNS, SAD,& TDP.
Furthermore,political parties are required to submit Expenditure report with 75 days ofcompletion of assembly general elections and 90 days
after completion of Lok Sabha general elections. While only 27 of the53 recognized state parties have submitted their expenditure
reports, only 8 political parties have submitted the reports bythe cut-off date.
Ofall the recognised State parties , only All India Anna Dravida MunnetraKazhagam (AIADMK) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), have submitted all the threereports within the cut-off dates.
Significant
increase in the income of TRS and YSRCP in 2018-19, the election year
Ofthe 22 recognised state political parties which have submitted their Auditreports, 6 political parties belong to the southern states of India.  Of these AIADMK, DMDK & PMK belong toTamil Nadu while JD(S) has major presence in Karnataka.  TRS and YSRCP belong to the two Teluguspeaking states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
Asper the annual audit reports submitted by these political parties, we can seethat income of TRS and YSRCP had a significant increase in 2018-19 compared to2017-18. This could be because both the Assembly & Lok Sabha general electionswere held in these two states during this year. The assembly general elections inTelangana took place towards the end of 2018 while in Andhra Pradesh, they wereheld in April 2019.
Allthese 6 political parties reported an increase in their income. As we stated inthe previous story about the national parties, this could be due to the generalelections.
In2017-18, the income of  TRS was ₹ 27.3 crores which increased by nearly 7 times to ₹ 188.7 crores in 2018-19.  Similarly, the revenue of YSRCP for the year2017-18 was ₹14.2 crores, which has increased significantly in 2018-19 to ₹ 181.1 crores.
JD(S)which contested the Karnataka assembly general elections in April 2018 showed arevenue of ₹38 crores in 2018-19, while it was ₹ 15.4 crores the previous year. AIADMK also doubled upits revenue to ₹28.1 crores in 2018-19 from ₹12.7 crores in 2017-18.
Electoral
Bonds are the major income source in 2018-19 for TRS, YSRCP & JD(S)
TRSreceived ₹182.7 crores i.e. nearly 97% of its income is 2018-19 from ‘Voluntary Donationsand Contributions’. As per the contribution
report submitted by TRS, ₹ 24.8 crores were received through contributions ofover ₹20,000. Another ₹16.5 crores were received through ‘Electoral Trusts’. However, a significantportion of donations/contributions received by TRS is through electoral bondswhich amounted to ₹141.5 crores in 2018-19.
Asper the
contribution report submitted by YSRCP, approximately ₹ 53.5 crores were received through donations amountingto more than ₹20,000 and ₹27 crores were received from a single electoral trust i.e. Prudent ElectoralTrust. Audit Report of YSRCP shows that ₹ 99.8 crores were received through electoral bonds in2018-19.
EvenJD(S) has received ₹35.3 crores of its ₹38 crores income in 2018-19 through electoral bonds.
MeanwhileAIADMK, reported ₹12.2 crores as interest income along with ₹ 10.2 crores received via ‘Fee & Subscriptions’and another ₹5.7 crores are received through ‘Collection from issuance of forms &application fees’. Not a single rupee is through donations or contributions.
BJD
also reported a huge increase in its income in 2018-19, mainly through
Electoral Bonds
Mostof the other recognized state political parties have reported an increase inthe revenue for year 2018-19 over the previous year. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) alsoreported a significant increase in its revenue for 2018-19. In 2017-18 theincome of BJD was reported as ₹14.1 crores, but in 2018-19, it has increased to ₹ 249.3 crores i.e. an increase by more than 17 times. Likein the case of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh, Odisha also had both assembly& Lok Sabha general elections during 2018-19. This could be the reason forsuch an increase in income.
Theannual audit report states that ₹ 242.9 crores i.e. nearly 97% of the revenue wasgenerated through ‘Grants/Donations/Contributions’. A significant portion ofthis amounting up to ₹213.5 crores are received through Electoral Bonds. ₹ 25 crores are received from AB General ElectoralTrust.
Amongthe other larger recognized State Parties, AAP has nearly doubled its income with₹ 19.3 croresin 2018-19 of which ₹19.2 crores are through ‘Donations and Contributions.’ Janata Dal(United) whichreported an income of ₹23.6 crores have received ₹13.18 crores from donations above ₹20,000 as per their contribution
report, of which ₹ 13 crores are from a single source through multipledonations.
Surprisingly,Samajwadi party has seen a dip in the income compared to 2017-18. It reportedan income of ₹47.2 crores in 2017-18, while it is only ₹ 33.8 crores for 2018-19. The difference can be mainlyattributed to the fall in income under ‘Fees & Subscription’, through whichit earned ₹19.6 crores in 2017-18 while it is only  ₹ 51.5 lakhs in 2018-19.
Non-submission
of financial reports an issue even with the recognized State parties
Asis the case with National
Parties, even the recognised state parties are not complyingwith the cut-off dates as far as the submission of Annual Audit Reports, ContributionReports and Expenditure reports are concerned. As we have seen, the number ofparties who have submitted so far is less than half the total number and thenumber for the parties who submitted on time is much lower than that.
Suchdelay in the submission of reports severely handicaps any analysis andobservations that can be made in respect to financial transparency.  A case in point is the Telugu Desamparty  (TDP) in the Telegu speakingstates. Both the TRS & YSRCP, the major parties in Telangana & AndhraPradesh reported a significant increase in their income, majority of it throughelectoral bonds. Though TDP is also a major party in these states, they are yetto submit the annual audit report which impedes any holistic understanding ofthe situation.
Asindicated in the earlier
story,  strict lawswhich could lead to imposition of fines for non-compliance along with thechange in rules that would require the political parties to disclose all thedonations received including  throughelectoral bonds, seem like the only way out for better transparency inpolitical funding.

created: November 26, 2019


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Only one AAP MLA is accused of rape, not 40 out of 62 AAP MLAs - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 18, 2020
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that 40 out of 62 AAP MLAs in Delhi have cases related to crime against women. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
40 out of 62 AAP MLAs in Delhi are accused of rape and other crimes against women.
Fact: In the ADR Report, it can be read that only one AAP MLA is accused of rape. There are a total of 13 MLAs (including the one with the rape case) who have declared cases related to crimes against women. Of those 13 MLAs, two MLAs belong to BJP. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The ‘Association for Democratic Reforms’ (ADR) has recently released a report – ‘Delhi Assembly Election 2020 – Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of MLAs’. In the report, it can be read that ‘13 MLAs have declared cases related to crimes against women. Out of these 13 MLAs, 1 MLA has declared cases related to rape (IPC Section-376)’. The same thing was also posted on ADR’s ‘Myneta.info’ Facebook page.
The details regarding those 13 MLAs and their crimes can be seen in the table below. It can be observed that there are two MLAs, who belong to BJP, among those 13 MLAs. So, it not true that 40 out of 62 AAP MLAs in Delhi are accused of rape and other crimes against women.
To sum it up, only one AAP MLA is accused of rape, not 40 out of 62 AAP MLAs.
Did you watch our new video in the DECODE series?

source: news-factly

created: February 18, 2020

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


text:
Only performance in select indicators favouring Samajwadi Party are shared through these posts - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 31, 2022
A social media post that shares the screenshots of a news report comparing the performance of the Samajwadi Party (2012-17) government in Uttar Pradesh with that of the BJP (2017-2021) on a few indicators is being widely circulated. The post boasts about the SP rule by comparing the crime, inflation & unemployment rate of Uttar Pradesh during these two tenures. A Facebook post also shares a video clip of the same news report, comparing the performance of the two governments on these indicators. Through this article let’s fact-check the comparison.
Claim: News report showing SP’s better performance in Uttar Pradesh compared to BJP on few indicators.
Fact: As per the ABP news report, the performance of SP is better than BJP in terms of crime, inflation & unemployment rate. However, this is just a compilation of selected indicators. The report further talks about GSDP, electricity production, per capita electricity availability, ease of doing business, food grain production, toilet construction (Rural), in which BJP’s performance is better compared to SP’s. The complete footage of the news report makes it clear that the viral post is just a collection of select indicators which in which SP’s performance is better than BJP. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The screenshots shared in the viral post are taken from a recent ‘ABP’ news report. However, the viral post shares only those performance indicators which are in favour of the previous SP government.
The complete news report compares performance of SP & BJP government in Uttar Pradesh on various performance indicators like GSDP, electricity production, per capita electricity availability, ease of doing business, food grain production, toilet construction (Rural), crime, inflation & unemployment rate.
The viral post just shared only those indicators like crime, inflation & unemployment rate of Uttar Pradesh in which SP government performance is better compared to BJP government.
On the other hand, the complete news report shows the performance of BJP on other indicators mentioned above is better compared to the previous SP government. The performance of both the governments on various performance indicators can be viewed from the below table. This data is as mentioned in the news story. We have not independently verified the veracity of the data.
From this, it is evident that the viral post contains only select indicators which are in favour of SP.
To sum it up, performance in only select indicators favouring Samajwadi Party are shared through these posts.

created: January 31, 2022


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Only the top three rankers of UPSC civil services are women; the fourth rank is secured by a male candidate - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 1, 2022
In the light of recently released 2021 UPSC civil services examination result, a social media post that claims all the top four rankers of the exam are women is being widely shared. The post lists the names of all purported women toppers. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: All the top four rankers of the recently released 2021 UPSC results are women.
Fact: In the recently released results of 2021 UPSC, only the top three rankers are women, whereas the fourth rank is secured by a male candidate, whose name is Aishwarya Verma, from Madhya Pradesh. In all likelihood, the name of the fourth ranker could have led to the confusion. Several news reports have published the photo of the fourth ranker. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
UPSC recently on 30 May 2022, announced the results of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2021. As per results the top three ranks are secured by women candidates. Shruthi Sharma, Ankita Agarwal and Gamini Singla secured the top three positions respectively.
The fourth rank is secured by a male candidate Aishwarya Verma from  Madhya Pradesh. Most likely, Aishwarya Verma’s name could have led to the confusion of mistaking his identity as woman. However, several news agencies have reported Aishwarya Verma as a male and have also published his file photo (here & here).
Initially after the announcement of results, few news agencies have reported that all the top four ranks are secured by women (here & here). News articles like these could have also further amplified the misconception.
To sum it up, only the top three rankers of UPSC civil services are women; the fourth rank is secured by a male candidate.


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Only those statistics favouring Manmohan Singh’s tenure are being compared with those not favouring Modi’s tenure - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 12, 2021
A post comparing the performance of Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh tenure as PM on different parameters like GDP, petrol & diesel prices, hunger index rankings etc. is being widely shared across social media platforms with a claim that Manmohan Singh’s government performed better than the Modi government on these parameters. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Manmohan Singh’s government performed better than the Modi government on different parameters.
Fact: Of the indicators mentioned in the post, only those statistics which are in favour of the Manmohan Singh regime are compared with those not so favourable to the Modi regime, making it a very selective comparision. Even under Modi, GDP growth was 8% in a particular year. Also in early 2009, the price of litre petrol stood at Rs 45.62 which increased to Rs. 71.52 in early 2014. Also, the price of litre diesel in 2009 was Rs. 32.86 which reached Rs. 53.78 in 2014. In many respects, the post only mentions those statistics that were not favourable for the Modi regime. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
GDP growth rate:
Although the GDP growth rate of 9% was reported during Manmohan Singh’s tenure, not all the years during his tenure recorded 9% growth rate. As per the RBI estimates, the GDP growth rate for the year 2019-20 at 4.18%. However, this is not the same every year of the Modi regime. In fact, during the year 2016-1, the growth rate touched 8.26%. From this, it can be inferred that only those numbers which are in favour of Manmohan Singh’s tenure are compared to that of Modi’s tenure, making this a misleading comparision.
Petrol & Diesel Prices:
As per the historical price data of petrol & diesel available on PPAC website, the litre cost of petrol and diesel was Rs. 63 & Rs. 53 back in July 2017, much lower compared to the present rates. Even Manmohan Singh’s tenure witnessed an increase and decrease in petrol and diesel prices. For example, the rate of litre petrol which was at Rs. 45.62 at the beginning of 2009 increased to Rs. 71.52 by the start of 2014. Generally, Prices of petrol & diesel depend on many factors like international crude oil prices, a general change in GDP, dollar rate, global politics, central & state taxes etc. Petrol prices are not as high as claimed in the post throughout Modi’s tenure as PM. Hence it is not logical to compare the prices during Manmohan’s tenure with that of prices during Modi’s tenure without taking these factors into consideration. However, the central taxes have increased during the Modi regime contributing to higher petrol & diesel prices despite a steep fall in global crude oil prices.
Railway platform Ticket:
As reported by news articles, taking COVID-19 pandemic into consideration some railway stations like Mumbai & Bhopal have increased the platform ticket to Rs. 50 which was earlier Rs. 10, which will applicable till July 2021. However, these rates are not applicable throughout the country.
Hunger Index:
In the 2020 Global Hunger Index, India ranked 94 out of the 107 countries. Prior to 2016, the calculation of these rankings followed a different methodology. The score of India in the year 2000 was 38.9 which improved to 27.2 in the year 2020 (a lower score means better performance). This shows that the performance of India in terms of the score is improving relative to the previous years. However, the ranking of India is worse compared to other countries.  As the methodology of ranking is different prior to 2016, a comparision of rankings between Modi and Manmohan Singh government would not be prudent.
SSC Recruitments:
SSC recruits for various posts by conducting recruitment exams for different categories like CGL, CSHL, Delhi police etc. As it is not particularly mentioned particularly about the specific category in the post, we took CGL into consideration and according to the information available on the SSC website, recruitment notification for a total of 15,146 posts was released back in 2013 and for 15,549 posts in 2014. In recent times the total number being recruited under this category decreased as the 2018 notification was released for 11,271 posts and for the year 2019, the total number of posts stood at 8539. The 2020 notification identified 7035 posts under this category. Hence,  it is true that the number of these posts has decreased during the Modi regime as compared to the Manmohan Singh government. The exact reason for this cannot be stated as the examination is usually conducted on the basis of vacancies in different departments.
From the above analysis, it can be inferred that only figures of the parameters which are in favour of the Manmohan Singh government’s regime are being compared to figures which are not so favourable during the Modi regime.
To sum it up, only those statistics which are in favour of Manmohan Singh’s tenure are being compared with the not so favourable figures of Modi’s tenure.


text:
Operational Indian Satellites as of April 2015 - Infographic
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 10, 2015
According to Government of India, there was no satellite failure in the process of launching during last 3 years period. There are 27 satellites that are operational in the country currently. These are as follows:
Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India


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OpIndia did not claim that Greta Thunberg’s real name is ‘Ghazala Bhat’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 8, 2021
A photo is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows an article published by the ‘OpIndia’ on Greta Thunberg. The article in the photo mentions that Greta Thunberg’s real name is ‘Ghazala Bhat’ and shows Greta wearing a hijab. A lot of social media users are sharing posts related to Greta Thunberg, a ‘Climate and environmental activist’, as she has recently tweeted in support of India’s protesting farmers. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: OpIndia’s article on Greta Thunberg says her real name is ‘Ghazala Bhat’.
Fact: The article mentioned in the photo has not been published by the OpIndia. It is an edited photo. The OpIndia has also mentioned that it is a fake image. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched for the article mentioned in the photo, no such article was found on the website of OpIndia. On observing the posted photo, one can see that there is an orange line below the ‘Home’ symbol, which denotes that the homepage of the website is open. But the actual template of OpIndia’s homepage is quite different from the posted photo. Also, in a couple of articles, the OpIndia has mentioned that the image is fake. Those articles can be read here and here.
The photo of Greta Thunberg wearing a hijab is also an edited one. The original image can be found on the Pixabay website. More details regarding Greta Thunberg can be read here and here.
To sum it up, a morphed image is being shared falsely on social media with a claim that the OpIndia has published an article on Greta Thunberg saying her real name is ‘Ghazala Bhat’.

created: February 8, 2021


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Origin of the rocket debris found on an Australian beach remains undetermined, but it is highly unlikely to be from Chandrayaan-3 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 20, 2023
An image of a giant, unidentified object is being widely shared on social media, with claims that the debris reported to have fallen from the sky in Australia is linked to the recently launched Chandrayaan-3. The post further claims that ISRO has confirmed it to be the third stage of a PSLV rocket that launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the moon in 2019. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: ISRO confirmed that the debris that was found in an Australian beach was third stage of a PSLV rocket that launched the Chandrayaan-3.
Fact: The Chandrayaan-3 (2023) mission utilized the GSLV Mk III (LVM3) launch vehicle. Neither ISRO nor the Australian Space Agency (ASA) have confirmed that the rocket debris belongs to the recently launched Chandrayaan-3. ASA is currently coordinating with international counterparts to determine its origins. Moreover, aviation experts believe that the debris may belong to a rocket launched a few months ago, if not years, as evidenced by the extensive barnacle covering its surface. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Firstly, contrary to the claim made in the post, according to the official website of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the launch vehicle used in Chandrayaan-1 (2008) was PSLV-C11. On the other hand, Chandrayaan-2 (2019) and the Chandrayaan-3 (2023) missions utilized the GSLV Mk III (LVM3) launch vehicles.
Regarding the image of the unidentified object shared in the viral post, Australian media reported that a large unidentified item was discovered on the beach in Green Head, located 250km north of Perth, on 16 July 2023. Subsequently, the Australian Space Agency (ASA) tweeted that they are actively making inquiries concerning the object and stated that it might be from a foreign space launch vehicle, and they are currently coordinating with international counterparts who may have additional information on the matter.
However, since Chandrayaan-3 was launched just a few days earlier on 14 July 2023, social media users have speculated that this unidentified object could be a part of the Indian Lunar mission or another Indian rocket. In an interview with BBC, S. Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, stated that the object was indeed a part of a rocket but may or may not be of Indian origin. He further emphasized that a definitive confirmation regarding whether it belongs to a PSLV or any other space launch vehicle cannot be made without visual inspection and analysis.
Mr. Somanath did, however, confirm that some of the PSLV parts are known to have fallen into the sea beyond Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. He also mentioned that the object might have been adrift for an extended period before eventually reaching the shore. Moreover, aviation experts believe that the debris may belong to a rocket that was launched a few months ago, if not years, as evidenced by the extensive barnacle covering its surface.
Additionally, on 19 July 2023, the ASA tweeted that they have determined the object to be most likely a solid rocket motor casing and are in the process of identifying its type and origin. This article will be updated as soon as the required information becomes available.
*UPDATE*
We have determined the object is most likely a solid rocket motor casing.
We're continuing the process of identifying the type of rocket & its origin through ongoing engagement with our global counterparts. @WA_Police have coordinated the object's removal & storage. https://t.co/04ZHjLBJ8Y
To sum it up, neither the Indian nor Australian space agencies have confirmed that the rocket debris found on the Australian beach belongs to the recently launched Chandrayaan-3.


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Oscars ‘Reminder List’ just suggests that films have met eligibility criteria; it does not mean they are nominated - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 11, 2023
Update (13 March 2023): The 95th Academy Awards were announced on 12 March 2023 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. India grabbed two Academy Awards. While ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ won the Oscar for Best Original Song, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film.
Multiple posts are being shared on social media claiming that several Indian films like Kantara, RRR, The Kashmir Files, etc.  have been nominated/qualified/shortlisted for the Oscars-2023 under the category of ‘Best Film’, and the actors from those films under the ‘Best Actor’ category. Some of those posts can be seen here, here, here, and here. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Several Indian films like Kantara, RRR, The Kashmir Files, etc. have been nominated for the Oscars 2023 under the ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Actor’ categories.
Fact: The nominations for the 95th Academy Awards (Oscars) will be announced on 24 January 2023. The names of the films mentioned in several social media posts are actually part of the ‘Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 95th Academy Awards’. If any film is part of that list, it does not mean it is nominated or shortlisted. It just means that the film met the eligibility criteria listed by the Oscars and is eligible for nomination. Many Indian films have also been part of the Oscars ‘Reminder List’ in the past and have not advanced to the nominations. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we checked on the ‘Oscars’ official website to check whether the mentioned films were nominated, we found that they were part of a list recently released by the Oscars. The list is called – ‘REMINDER LIST OF PRODUCTIONS ELIGIBLE FOR THE 95TH ACADEMY AWARDS’. If any film is part of that list, it does not mean it is nominated or shortlisted. It just means has met the eligibility criteria listed by the Oscars & is eligible for nomination. The eligibility criteria can be read here and here. The listed eligibility criteria do not include any artistic qualitative requirements (like how good the film is or how good the actors performed in the film).
The names of the actors mentioned in the list also do not mean they have been shortlisted. As mentioned on the Oscars website, “The Reminder List also includes the performers eligible for consideration in the Acting categories”. In the Rules document, it can be also read that – “A Reminder List including up to ten eligible actresses and up to ten eligible actors for each eligible motion picture shall be made available along with nominations ballots to all active members of the Actors Branch, who shall vote in the order of their preference for not more than five acting achievements in each category….”
Several Indian films have also been part of the Oscars ‘Reminder List’ in the past and have not advanced to the nominations. Some of the Indian Films which were part of the previous Reminder Lists can be found here – ‘Jai Bhim’ and ‘Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham’ (94th Oscars Production Reminder List), ‘Soorarai Pottru’ (93rd), ‘The Sound Story’ (91st), ‘Pulimurugan’ (90th), ‘Kochadaiiyaan’ (87th), ‘My Name is Khan’ (83rd).
The nominations voting will begin on 12 January 2023, and the nominations for the 95th Academy Awards will be announced on 24 January 2023. The Academy has announced shortlists for 10 categories in December 2022. The categories and the shortlists can be seen here (Please note that shortlists do not mean nominations). The list of Indian films shortlisted in those 10 categories can be seen here.
To sum it up, the Oscars ‘Reminder List’ just suggests that films have met eligibility criteria; it does not mean they are nominated.

created: January 11, 2023


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OSD to former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis is being referred as OSD to Uddhav Thackeray - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 29, 2020
A post with a video in which a man breaks down while addressing the press regarding the handling of COVID-19 by the government of Maharashtra is doing rounds on social media, with a claim that the man is Om Praksah Shete, OSD to the current Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and also the head of the medical assistance cell. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: OSD to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray breaks down during a press meet referring to the pathetic handling of COVID-19 by the government. He also heads the medical assistance cell.
Fact: News articles and videos referred him to as the former head of the Chief Minister’s medical assistance cell. The about section of his Facebook reads ‘Former O.S.D. to Cheif Minister, chief, C.M. medical asst cell’. Further, another news article states that he was OSD to former CM Devendra Fadnavis. With all this, we can say for sure that he is not OSD of the current CM Uddhav Thackeray. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Google search with the keywords ‘Om Prakash Shete press meet’ directed us to a tweet by Lokmat which reported the press conference. The tweet states Omprakash Shete as the former head of the Chief Minister’s Medical Assistance Cell. Also, a local news channel video of the press meet also quotes him as former medical aid cell head.
Further search led us to a news article which reported the PIL filed by Om Prakash Shete seeking benefits under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana for all COVID-19 patients and not just for those on ventilators. Even this article refers to him as the former head of the Chief Minister’s Medical Assistance Cell. Screenshots of the PIL are displayed in a news video which can be seen here. Another news article which reported the press meet stated that he is OSD to former CM Devendra Fadnavis. Further, the about section of his Facebook account reads ‘Former O.S.D. To the Chief Minister, chief, C.M. medical asst cell’. With all this, we can conclude that Mr. Omprakash Shete is not OSD to current CM Uddhav Thackeray.
To sum it up, Om Prakash Shete, OSD to former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis is being referred to as OSD to Uddhav Thackeray.

created: September 29, 2020


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Few other countries implement much stricter mandatory classroom attendance rules for students than India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 23, 2022
An Instagram post is being widely shared claiming that India is the only country where the students have the mandatory 75% classroom attendance rule. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: India is the only country where students have mandatory 75% classroom attendance rule.
Fact: Educational institutions in other Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea also implement 75% attendance rule for their students. Also, few universities in European countries like Netherlands and Finland follow compulsory classroom attendance policies. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
According to the UGC regulations, 2003, “The minimum number of lectures, tutorials, seminars and practicals which a student shall be required to attend for eligibility to appear at the examination shall be prescribed by the university, which ordinarily shall not be less than 75% of the total number of lectures, tutorials, seminars, practicals, and any other prescribed requirements”
We then searched whether the educational institutions in other countries implement a similar attendance rule and found that several universities and schools in Asian and European countries follow a mandatory attendance policy. According to Singapore’s Amity Global Institute website, all the full-time local students must maintain at least 75% of classroom attendance, or else the student will be barred from examinations. Meanwhile the minimum attendance requirement for international students is 90%. The same rule is followed in several other universities in Singapore. They can be seen here, here and here
The UTM school of civil engineering in Malaysia implements much stricter attendance rules where if the absence rate is more than 20%, the student is not allowed to continue the particular course and must pursue the course all over again. Similar attendance policies of Malaysian universities can be seen here and here
Also, minimum attendance should be maintained by the students to appear in exams and for the completion of the course in other Asian countries like Thailand, South Korea and Pakistan.
Universities in European countries like Netherlands, Finland direct students to maintain at least 80% classroom attendance rate. In 2016, Norwegian Government introduced a new policy to reduce the student absent rates. According to the policy, high school students in Norway who missed more than 10 percent of the hours in a given course without a medical excuse could not receive a final grade. Though this rule was dropped during pandemic, Norwegian Government is planning to re-implement it.
To sum it up, India is not the only country to have 75% mandatory classroom attendance rule. Other countries have much stricter attendance policies.

created: September 23, 2022


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Old footage of Anti-Israel protests in Sweden wrongly linked to recent Eurovision event - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 16, 2024
A video showing a mob pelting stones and vandalizing police vehicles is being circulated with the claim that it depicts Muslims vandalizing public property in Sweden, purportedly due to an Israeli singer’s participation in Eurovision (here, here & here). This article fact-checks the assertion made in the post.
Claim: Video showing Muslims vandalizing public properties in Sweden in protest over the participation of an Israeli singer in Eurovision.
Fact: These visuals depict confrontation between anti-Israel protesters and Swedish police outside a tennis match in 2009. Nonetheless, there are reports of pro-Palestine demonstrations occurring in Malmö, Sweden, opposing Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The Eurovision Song Contest, commonly referred to as Eurovision, is an international song competition held annually by the European Broadcasting Union. According to the schedule, the semi-final and final events were planned for May 2024 in Malmo, Sweden. Reports indicate that pro-Palestine demonstrators marched through the streets of Malmö, Sweden, protesting Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest amidst Israel’s conflict in Gaza (here & here).
However, the visuals in the viral video are not connected to these protests and are much older. A reverse image search of the screenshots from the viral video led us to 2009 news reports that featured the same visuals (here & here). According to these reports, the visuals depict clashes between anti-Israel protesters and Swedish police outside a tennis match in 2009.
According to reports, the protesters allegedly tried to breach the stadium where the host country was competing in a Davis Cup tennis match against Israel. Their aim was to disrupt the match, which supposedly took place without spectators in Malmo due to security worries (here & here). Left-wing activists also participated in the pro-Palestinian protest, launching stones, fireworks, and paint bombs at police vehicles. From all these, it is evident that the viral footage is not linked to any recent incident and is unrelated to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
To sum up, old 2009 visuals depicting anti-Israel protests in Sweden are falsely shared as recent ones associated with the Eurovision event.


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Outdated news reports resurface as recent breaking developments - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 20, 2023
Update (20 November 2023):
Another video of the ‘Republic Bharat’ news channel is being shared on social media claiming it is the latest news report on America’s involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the viral video has led us to the same video which was uploaded on the Republic Bharat’s YouTube Channel on 27 March 2022. The video talks about the developments during the Russo-Ukrainian war at that time and doesn’t report any current events.
Update (07 November 2023):
Another video of the ‘Republic Bharat’ news channel is being shared on social media claiming it is the latest news report on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif fleeing to a foreign country amidst the economic crisis and bomb blasts in Pakistan. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
When searched for the video using relevant keywords on the internet, the same video was found published by the ‘Republic Bharat’ news channel on 17 February 2023. The ‘Ye Bharat Ki Baat Hai’ news episode of the ‘Republic Bharat’ channel covers the news of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz fleeing to a foreign nation for financial assistance amidst the economic crisis and bomb blasts in Pakistan. The news video reports the increase in petrol and other commodities prices in Pakistan and showcases Pakistan citizen’s hardships during the inflation in their country.
Update (06 November 2023):
Another video is being shared on social media claiming it is a recent news report asserting that UP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and his wife experienced simultaneous cardiac arrests. The video shows a news report published by the India TV news channel. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
When searched for the details of the video using relevant keywords on the internet, we found the same video on India TV’s  YouTube channel on 09 January 2018. The news site published the video with the description, “UP MLA Mukhtar Ansari and his wife suffers heart attack at the same time !” Several news sites published articles reporting Mukhtar Ansari’s heart attack occurrence at Banda Jail in January 2018.  Those news reports can be seen here, here and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it is evident that the video shared in the post shows a five-year-old news report published by the India TV.  Lately, there have been no news reports informing that Mukhtar Ansari has suffered another cardiac arrest.
Update (02 November 2023):
Another video is being shared on social media claiming it as Republic Bharat channel’s latest news report on Chinese President Xi Jinping sending a detective to spy on India’s AD-1 missile which was designed and manufactured locally by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). The report alleges that India’s successful launch of the AD-1 Ballistic Defence Interceptor missile is giving sleepless nights to Xi Jinping. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
On searching for the video using relevant keywords on the internet, we found the same video published by the Republic TV news channel on 05 November 2022. In the video, the Republic Bharat news channel reported about the launch of the AD-1 Ballistic missile interceptor and alleged that the Chinese President sent a detective to spy on this Indian missile made by the DRDO. DRDO conducted a successful maiden flight test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor AD-1 missile with a large kill altitude bracket from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on 02 November 2022.  So, it can be confirmed that the video shared in the post shows an old news report telecasted by the Republic Bharat news channel.
Published (22 September 2023):
A social media post, which is being widely shared, presents a breaking news report announcing the imposition of the President’s rule in Maharashtra as if it were the most recent development in the state. Through this article, let’s fact-check the authenticity of the video shared in the post.
Claim: Breaking news report announcing the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra
Fact: This news report is from November 2019 when President’s Rule was imposed in Maharashtra due to a government formation impasse following the October 2019 assembly elections. Presently, there is no such situation in Maharashtra, making this news outdated and misleading when shared without context. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The viral news clip discusses the implementation of the President’s rule in Maharashtra. Nevertheless, it pertains to an older event from November 2019 when Maharashtra was subjected to President’s Rule due to a deadlock in government formation following the October 2019 assembly elections.
After a thorough examination of the viral clip, it is evident that the reporter mentions, ‘President Ram Nath Kovind has given his consent for the imposition of President’s rule in Maharashtra, following a recommendation from the state’s governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who cited the failure to form a government in the state.’ This detail itself indicates that this information is outdated, as neither Bhagat Singh Koshyari is serving as the governor of Maharashtra nor Ram Nath Kovind is the President of India; he has been succeeded by Ramesh Bais.
Further search using pertinent keywords, yielded the original ABP News report that the viral clip was sourced from. ABP News originally published this clip on 12 November 2019, following the President’s decision to issue a proclamation imposing President’s rule in Maharashtra under Article 356(1). This decision was made after reviewing the governor’s report, which indicated that no party was capable of forming a government, and no coalition had been established.
Additional news reports on the President’s rule imposition in 2019, can be viewed here and here. This unequivocally confirms that the viral news clip is outdated and does not convey any recent developments in the state. Generally, the President’s Rule is imposed through the invocation of Article 356 of the Constitution by the President on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers. However, there is currently no such situation existing in Maharashtra, rendering this news a false representation, and is being shared out of context.
Previously, FACTLY has exposed several instances of outdated news reports being circulated as recent ones. Fact-check articles that debunked these viral clips can be viewed below.
To sum it up, outdated news reports resurface as recent-breaking developments.

created: November 20, 2023


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2021 video of Yogi Adityanath promising UPTET re-exam falsely linked to the recent police constable recruitment exam - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2024
Update (28 February 2024): The Uttar Pradesh Police Constable recruitment exam, conducted on 17 &18 February 2024  was announced as cancelled following a paper leak. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the decision, stating that the exam will be re-conducted within six months.
Amid rumours surrounding the leak of the Uttar Pradesh police constable exam paper, a viral news clip shows Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reassuring aspiring candidates about the cancellation and re-conducting the exam. This video is being shared in connection with the alleged leak of the police constable exam paper, implying that Yogi assured a re-examination specifically for the police constable exam. In this article, we will fact-check the assertion made in the post.
Claim: News clip featuring Yogi Adityanath assuring aspiring candidates of a re-examination concerning the police constable exam, tarnished by allegations of paper leak.
Fact: The video shows Yogi Adityanath assuring UPTET aspirants of a re-exam in response to a paper leak incident that occurred in 2021. Despite recent allegations of a paper leak in the UP police constable recruitment exam, the authorities and the state police department have denied the claim, asserting that no such leak occurred. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The viral video does depict Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acknowledging a paper leak and the subsequent reconduct of the exam; however, it is an old video and is unrelated to the recent allegations of police constable paper leak.
Since the viral video displays the ‘Aaj Tak’ logo in the top right corner, we conducted a keyword search that directed us to the original video posted on Aaj Tak’s official YouTube channel. This video is more than two years old, specifically posted in November 2021. According to the report, Yogi Adityanath discusses the paper leak related to the Uttar Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (UPTET).
According to additional reports on the issue, Yogi Adityanath made this statement during a public meeting in Deoria after attending several development programs. Furthermore, he reiterated the assurance through a tweet. In his Hindi tweet, he stated “the state government is standing with the candidates of UPTET.  The re-examination will be conducted in a transparent manner within 01 month. No additional fee will be charged from any candidate. The candidates appearing for the examination will be given free travel facility in commuting @UPSRTCHQ buses.”
UPTET के अभ्यर्थियों के साथ प्रदेश सरकार खड़ी है।
01 माह के अंदर पारदर्शी तरीके से पुनः परीक्षा आयोजित होगी।
किसी भी अभ्यर्थी से कोई अतिरिक्त शुल्क नहीं लिया जाएगा।
परीक्षा देने वाले अभ्यर्थियों को आने-जाने हेतु @UPSRTCHQ की बसों में निःशुल्क यात्रा की सुविधा दी जाएगी।
Hence, all these reports confirm that the viral video is associated with the 2021 UPTET paper leak matter. Meanwhile, the recent police constable examination has been tainted by allegations of paper leak. However, the relevant state authorities and the police department have unequivocally denied these allegations. The Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPBPB) has reassured aspiring candidates that there is no irregularity and that exams are proceeding smoothly. Through its official social media channels, the UPPBPB has refuted the false information and urged the public not to disseminate misleading details.
प्रारंभिक जांच में पाया गया कि अराजक तत्वों द्वारा ठगी के लिए Telegram की Edit सुविधा का प्रयोग कर सोशल मीडिया पर पेपर लीक संबंधी भ्रम फैलाया जा रहा है।बोर्ड एवं @Uppolice इन प्रकरणों की निगरानी के साथ इनके सोर्स की गहन जांच कर रहा है।
परीक्षा सुरक्षित एवं सुचारू रूप से जारी है।
To sum it up, an old 2021 video of Yogi Adityanath assuring re-examination for UPTET aspirants is falsely linked to the recent police constable recruitment exam.

created: February 21, 2024


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Overcrowding & Staff vacancies plague Indian Prisons
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 6, 2021
The India Justice Report 2020 highlights the multiple issues plaguing the prison system in India. The report notes that only about 60% had videoconferencing facilities restricting their ability to have virtual hearings. Overcrowding & staff vacancies continue to plague the prison system.
The second edition of the India Justice Report (IJR) which ranks Indian states on four pillars of Justice delivery- Police, Judiciary, Prisons and Legal Aid, was released recently. The study is an initiative of Tata Trusts in collaboration with Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, Tata Institute of Social Sciences–Prayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, and How India Lives.
The study ranks the states based on quantitative measurements of budgets, human resources, infrastructure, workload, diversity across police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid in 18 large and medium-sized states with a population of over 1 crore and 7 small states. Data for 7 Union Territories (UTs) and 4 other unranked states is also provided in the report. Publicly available data of different government entities and the judiciary are used in the report. This report assumes significance in the light of disruption caused by COVID-19.
Supreme court rolled out virtual hearings during COVID-19 lockdown
All physical hearings were suspended by the Supreme Court from the latter half of March 2020 because of the pandemic. Virtual Court hearings or videoconferencing was rolled out by the apex court to overcome the restrictions posed by the pandemic. An interim report on the challenges faced in the virtual court proceedings was tabled by a parliamentary standing committee recently. The standing committee report highlighted that the digital divide in terms of access, connectivity, and skill was a major roadblock in accessing virtual courts. Almost 50% of the lawyers did not have a laptop or computer, according to a representative of the Bar Council. The report, however, did not mention the infrastructural shortcomings in Indian prisons.
40% Prisons lack videoconferencing facility
According to the India Justice Report 2020, only 808 jails in India of the total 1,350 jails had the facility for videoconferencing as of 31 December 2019. (The data is from the NCRB’s annual Prison Statistics India report for 2019). This implies that only about 60% of the Indian prisons had videoconferencing facilities and the remaining 40% did not have such facilities as of early 2020.
State-wise data indicates that Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Assam had videoconferencing facilities in all the jails. Smaller states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and even Delhi had also recorded 100%.
Punjab had the facility in 96% of the jails followed by Bihar and Telangana with 95% each. Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and UP also have video conferencing facilities in more than 90% of the jails. On the other side, only 9% of the jails in Tamil Nadu have the facility, the least among all states with such facilities. Karnataka (31%), Tripura (31%), and West Bengal (32%) follow Tamil Nadu in that order from the bottom.
Prison occupancy is the highest in 2019 since 2010
The other indicator besides jails with a video conferencing facility under the parameter of infrastructure in the IJR 2020 is the prison occupancy. It is seen that the number of prisons in the country has dropped to 1,350 in 2019 from 1,412 in 2016. Meanwhile, the total prison population in India has increased to over 4.78 lakh from 4.33 lakh during the same period. This implies that more people must be accommodated in fewer jails further congesting the already over-crowded prisons. The growth in infrastructure is not on par with the increasing prison population.
Data from the past decade shows that the occupancy ratio in the prisons was the highest in 2019 with 118.5% during the 2010-2019 period.  Since 2016, the occupancy ratio has been on the rise albeit at a slow pace- from 113.7% in 2016 to 115.1% in 2017 to 117.6% in 2018, and to 118.5% in 2019. Under-trials constituted about 70% of the prison inmates.
Among states, the prison occupancy ratio varies from 31% in Nagaland to 175% in Delhi. In 20 States/UTs, the prisons were overcrowded. Of the remaining 16 States/UTs where the prisons had inmates within the capacity, five are union territories. Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu had reported an occupancy ratio of less than 100% as of December 2019. All southern states except Kerala had an occupancy ratio below 100%.
One in three posts for prison staff is vacant on average
Besides overcrowding, another constraint for Indian prisons is understaffing. There is not adequate staff to manage the overcrowded prisons in the country. Hence, the existing staff is overworked. According to the report, the average prison staff vacancy is over 30% across all prison staff levels over the last three years. That is, about one in three positions is vacant. Prison staff includes officers, cadre staff, and correctional staff. Filling up these vacancies helps reduce the workload of staff and better management of prisons.
The percentage of vacancies for officers ranges from less than 1% in Telangana to more than 75% in Uttarakhand. The states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh have about two-thirds of the officers’ posts vacant. It is also seen that in Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Jharkhand, the number of inmates per officer is among the highest with more than 330 inmates per officer. On the other hand, in Tamil Nadu where the vacancy is 9% and the prison population is within capacity, there are 17 inmates per officer.
Staff-inmate ratio does not adhere to benchmark stipulated by Model Police Manual
Likewise, the vacancy for cadre staff varies from 63.3% in Jharkhand to about 7% in Maharashtra among larger states and none in Nagaland. Jharkhand, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh have more than half the posts vacant for cadre staff. At least one in five posts among cadre staff is vacant in 22 states/UTs. Though the Model Prison Manual,2016 suggests that there should be one cadre staff for 6 inmates, the ratio is as high as 25 and 23 inmates per cadre staff respectively in Jharkhand and UP.
The Model Prison Manual 2016, specifically characterizes correctional work as a “specialized field”. Correctional officers include persons such as welfare officers, psychologists, counsellors, etc. who may help the prisoner reform. The states of Haryana, Punjab, Goa, Assam, and Manipur did not have any correctional officers as per the NCRB data cited in IJR. The vacancies were below 50% in 9 states/UTs, and zero in Jharkhand, Telangana, and UP. Also, data for 9 states/UTs is unavailable.
The national average stands at one probation/welfare officer per 1,617 prisoners as against the Model Prison Manual’s requirement of one correctional officer for every 200 prisoners. Only Bihar, Odisha, and J&K have adhered to the benchmark. The number of prison inmates per correctional staff is 50,649 in UP which has reported zero vacancies. The ratio in Gujarat is 15089 inmates per correctional officer.  Apart from these two states, 5 states have crossed the threshold of 1000 inmates per staff.
Share of Women staff is below 10% in 17 states/UTs
With respect to the share of women staff in prisons, Karnataka topped the list with more than 26% women staff in prisons. Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim too have more than 20% women staff. However, no state/UT was close to the 33% benchmark for diversity as suggested. In 17 states/UTs including UP, West Bengal, Telangana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat, the proportion of women in prison staff was below 10%.
Maharashtra and Punjab spend less than Rs. 45 per day for each inmate
The expenditure on inmates is mainly for food, medical care, clothing, and vocational/education activities. The report states that the average spend per prisoner has gone up by nearly 45% in four years between 2016-17 & 2019-20. Andhra Pradesh spent the most- more than Rs. 2 lakh per inmate 2019-20, which is about Rs. 550 per inmate per day. Delhi, Haryana, and Lakshadweep spend above Rs. 1 Lakh for the same. About 14 states/UTs including MP, Punjab, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra spend below Rs.30,000 per year- which translates to less than Rs. 82 per day for each inmate.
Implementation of committee recommendations is poor
Prisons are for the reformation and rehabilitation of offenders, and not for mere confinement. Prisons are legally supposed to provide basic amenities to the inmates. Overcrowding, understaffing, and insufficient funds continue to plague Indian prisons and hence restrict their ability to act as reformation centers. These issues have been existent for years, and various committees such as Justice Mulla Committee, Justice V R Krishna Iyer Committee, and institutes like BPRD continue to study the problems and make recommendations. However, the implementation of these recommendations has been tardy.

created: February 6, 2021


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Are you an Overseas Indian willing to Vote in Indian Elections? Here is something for you
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 5, 2016
The Election Commission of India has launched a dedicated portal to assess the levels of awareness among overseas Indian voters. The portal is running a survey and an online competition with the theme ‘Every Indian Vote Counts’
As Factly reported earlier, the government has now accepted the idea of extending voting rights to NRIs and Indian Citizens living abroad. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has now launched an online survey and a competition to assess the level of awareness among Overseas Indian voters. According to the ECI, only around 16000 are registered on the electoral roll as Overseas Indian electors though there are about 11.4 million NRIs across the world.
A Survey to assess the levels of awareness among Overseas Indians
The ECI has launched a dedicated portal ‘Every Indian Vote Counts’ both for the survey and a competition for the Overseas Indians who are willing to vote in Indian elections. The objective of the survey is to study and determine the registration and participation rates among overseas electors. The survey is launched by the ECI in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
The ECI believes that the survey will help in identifying information gaps and also in finding the preferred methods of voting for NRIs.
What does the Survey contain?
The survey has various questions on the present status of the NRIs along with their awareness of the voting laws like the minimum age for voting, the form in which the voter registration is to be done among other things. The survey also gathers information on the current place of residence of the NRI.
The survey also asks NRIs to rank the various options for voting based on their preference. This information will be used to come up with the right option for voting. There will be both daily & fortnightly prizes for those taking part in the survey. The winners will be selected based on the ‘Democracy Points’ accumulated by a person. Democracy Points can be won by inviting friends to take the survey. One can also register as a voter towards the end of the survey.
Win an opportunity to be honored by the ECI on National Voter’s Day
Apart from the survey, ECI has also launched an online competition, based upon the theme of ‘Every Indian Vote Counts’, to crowdsource creative ideas from overseas Indians holding Indian passports. The competition is open in the following categories
Under the competition, participants can upload their original entries in the various categories. Winners in these categories will win a round trip to India on National Voters’ Day and be honored by the Election Commission of India.
The survey will be open in both November & December 2016 while the online Competition will run through the month of November.

created: November 5, 2016


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Former Union Minister Chidambaram did not claim rental allowance for his private residence owned by his wife - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 18, 2021
A social media post claiming that ‘former finance minister and congress member of parliament P. Chidambaram lived in a house owned by his wife and claimed monthly rent allowance of 20 lakhs from the government for 10 years’ is being shared widely.  Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: ‘P. Chidambaram lived in a house owned by his wife and claimed monthly rent of 20 lakhs from the government for 10 years’.
Fact: P. Chidambaram resides in a bungalow allotted to him by the government. Moreover government does not bear the rental expenses in case if a member of parliament decides to reside in a private house. The Delhi High court imposed a fine of one lakh rupees dealing with a PIL requesting to pause the central vista project in the light of the COVID-19, the court commented that it is a motivated petition and not a genuine public interest litigation.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Generally, the members of the Parliament are entitled to rent-free residential accommodation in the form of bungalows, flat/hostel accommodations in Delhi. However, if a member of parliament decides to reside in a private house, the member himself has to bear the rental expenses and the central government does not pay them.
As per the information available on the Rajya Sabha website, P. Chidambaram who is a member of the upper house resides in an accommodation allotted by the government in Delhi. This means that the central government is not bearing any expenses for his private residence.
This is also evident from the information available on the Rajya Sabha website related to expenditure incurred on the salary and allowances of members every month. Apart from constituency allowance and office expense allowance which every member is entitled to, there is no mention of any other allowance which Chidambaram is receiving from the government as claimed in the post.
Further, the post claims that most of the secretariats of various ministries are working in rented accommodation owned by congress and communist leaders for whopping rental values. However, there is no official information or news reports confirming this. Further, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore informed the Lok Sabha that ‘there is no centrally-maintained data on the amount spent by various government establishments for renting office space in Delhi.’ However, it is noteworthy to mention that as per these news articles (here & here) the central government defended the central vista project in the Supreme Court by asserting that the project would save 1000 crores annual rental expenditure on secretariats.
The post also claims that the Supreme court has dismissed an appeal to stop the central vista project and imposed a fine of one lakh rupees. However, it is not the Supreme court but the Delhi High Court which has imposed a fine of one lakh rupees while disposing of a petition related to the central vista project.
Back in May 2021 when the COVID-19 restrictions were being implemented in Delhi, a PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court requesting the central vista project be paused on the grounds that the project is not an essential activity and going forward with the construction work would put the lives of workers at risk. However, after hearing both sides, the court refused to stay the construction work. Further, the court dismissed the petition imposing a fine of one lakh rupees stating that the petition is a motivated petition and not a genuine public interest litigation. The petitioners later approached the Supreme Court which also dismissed the matter and refused to interfere with the judgement of the Delhi High Court
To sum it up, former Union Minister P. Chidambaram did not claim a rental allowance for his private residence owned by his wife.

created: October 18, 2021


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Packaged commodities will display Product Information more prominently from July 2016 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 9, 2016
Finding relevant information on packaged commodities could sometimes be a nightmare. They are printed in a small size that makes it difficult to find and read. Come July this year, these woes might come to end, thanks to an amendment to the relevant rules. The important information has to be now displayed in 40% of the total area of the package.
For most consumers, finding the relevant information on certain packaged commodities could be a nightmare. The information is provided in a manner that is not just small, but difficult to find and read. These woes might come to an end come July this year. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs amended ‘The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011’ in May 2015. These rules will be effective from 1 July, 2016.
Display of Important Information on all Packaged Commodities
As per the amendments made in May 2015, every packaged item should now have the Name, Address, Telephone number and e-mail address of the person/office to be contacted, in case of consumer complaints. Earlier, the email address was optional.
According to the amendment, the following information has to be displayed in a panel of 40% of the area of the packet in readable font size.
How will the area be calculated?
In case the package has a volume of 10 cubic centimeters or less, then the display could be a card or tape affixed to the package with all the relevant information.
In case of other packages, the area (not including the top, bottom, flange at top and bottom of cans, and shoulders and neck of bottle and jars) will be determined in the following manner,
Size of the Information to be provided
The height of any numeral that is part of the above mandatory information will conform to certain standards.
The height of the numeral in the display will not be less than what is mentioned in the following table if the net quantity is declared in terms of weight or volume.
The height of the numeral in the display will not be less than what is mentioned in the following table if the net quantity is declared in terms of length, area or number.
The height of letters in the display should not be less than 1 mm height and when blown, formed, molded, embossed or perforated, the height of letters shall not be less than 2 mm. The width of the letter or numeral in the display should not be less than one third of its height, except in the case of numeral `1′ and letters (i), (I) and (l).
Special Monitoring Cell will be setup to ensure Compliance
The ministry will set up a quick response system to attend consumer complaints. The existing National Consumer Helpline is also being geared up for this purpose and a senior level officer will monitor the disposal of complaints on daily basis. A Monitoring cell will be setup to ensure strict compliance of new provision.
Featured Image: Paul Ancheta |Flickr


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Data suggests that more Padma Shri awards are given in Election years
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 28, 2019
Does political clout & election fever influence the Padma Awards? Data suggests that the number of Padma Shri awards increase by 29% in the election years compared to the average of the preceding 4 non-election years.
The government recently announced the Padma Awards for the year 2019. Among the 112 awardees in 2019, four (4) are given the Padma Vibhushan, 14 are given the Padma Bhushan and remaining 94, the Padma Shri. The 17th Lok Sabha elections are due in a few months and the trend of giving more Padma Shri awards in an election year continued in 2019 as well. Analysis of the data available on the Ministry of Home Affairs website proves this trend conclusively.
What are the Padma Awards?
Padma Awards were instituted in the year 1954. Except for brief interruptions during the years 1978 and 1979 and 1993 to 1997, these awards have been announced every year on Republic Day.  The award is given in three categories, the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The award seeks to recognize work of any distinction and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements or service in all fields of activities or disciplines, such as Art, Literature and Education, Sports, Medicine, Social Work, Science and Engineering, Public Affairs, Civil Service, Trade and Industry etc.
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award given by the Indian government after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. The total number of Padma awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to foreigners) should not be more than 120.
Most Padma Shri awards were given in Election years
Analysis of the data available on the Ministry of Home Affairs website suggests that the number of Padma Shri awards increase substantially in the year when the Lok Sabha elections are due. Almost all the peaks observed in the following chart are election years, the years in which Lok Sabha general election was held. This trend is more or less uniform except in years when the Lok Sabha elections were held prematurely before a full 5-year term. This trend is observed both when the Congress was in power and also now when the BJP is ruling.
Number of Padma Shri awards increase during a Lok Sabha Election year
Three general elections to the Lok Sabha were held in the last 19 years and the fourth one is due this year. In all the four (4) election years, the number of Padma Shri awards is significantly greater than the average of the preceding 4 years.
In 2004, the number of Padma Shri awardees was 74 while the average for the preceding 4 years was 57. In 2009, 93 Padma Shri awards were given compared to the preceding 4-year average of 66. Even in 2014, 100 Padma Shri awards were given compared to the preceding 4-year average of 80. Even in 2019, the 94 Padma Shri awards were given compared to the preceding 4-year average of 76.
On average, the number of Padma Shri awards in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 is 29% more than the average of the preceding four non-election years.  Congress was in power on two of these occasions while the BJP on the other two.
Is Politics playing a role?
Recommendations for these awards are usually solicited from all State/UT Governments etc. In the last three years, the government has opened up applications to these awards by launching a centralized portal for receiving recommendations. Now, even citizens can recommend a person for these awards. In addition, letters are sent to States/UTs, Institutes of Excellence, Ministries/Departments of the Government of India and the Bharat Ratna/Padma Vibhushan awardees asking for their recommendations. Nominations/recommendations are usually accepted between 1st May and 15th September every year and the winners are declared on or before the Republic Day of the following year. It is possible that a person who does not belong to a particular state is shown as being given the award from that state if he/she is recommended by that state.
While there seems to be no direct link between the electoral performance of the ruling party and number of awards to people from a particular state, it does seem that the greater political clout at the center plays a significant role in winning these awards. States like Delhi & Maharashtra have won disproportionately higher number of awards compared to the rest of the states. Out of the close to 1500 Padma Shri awards given in the last 20 years between 2000 & 2019, Delhi & Maharashtra account for 30% of these awards. Add Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka to the list, the percentage of awardees from these five states is close to 50%.  On the other hand, only 26 of all the Padma Shri awardees between 2000 & 2019 belong to a state like Bihar.

created: January 28, 2019


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Padma Awards in Indian Sports (1954 - 2018) - Infographic
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 3, 2018
From 1954 to 2018, a total of 225 civilian awards (Padma Awards & Bharat Ratna) were given to Sportspersons. Cricketers won 55 of these awards which is 25% of all the awards. The only Bharat Ratna to a sportsperson was conferred on Sachin Tendulkar. 34 awards went to Mountaineers while 25 went to Hockey players. Sachin Tendulkar & Vishwanathan Anand won three different awards each while Maharashtra has the highest number of awardees at 34. Find the detailed article here.


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Seven States accounted for 63% of the Padma Shri Awardees in the last 16 years
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 3, 2016
Does political clout & election fever influence the Padma Awards? The data suggests that the number of Padma Shri awards increase by 30% in the election years compared to the average of the preceding 4 non-election years. Data from the last 16 years also indicates that Delhi & Maharashtra alone account for a third of all the Padma Shri awards while Bihar barely had 20 winners, less than 2% of all the awards. Seven states together accounted for 63% of all the Padma Shri awardees in the last 16 years.
In the first part of this series, we looked at the number of Padma Shri awards over the years and various categories of awardees. It was clear that more Padma Shri awards were given in election years compared to other years. This story looks at the last 3 election years (2004, 2009 & 2014) in greater detail to understand if more Padma Shri awards are given meet political goals.
Number of Padma Shri Awards increase by 30% in Election years
Three general elections to the Lok Sabha were held in the last 15 years and in all the three election years, the number of Padma Shri awards were significantly greater than the average of the preceding 4 years.
In 2004, the number of Padma Shri awardees was 74 while the average for the preceding 4 years was 57. In 2009, 93 Padma Shri awards were given compared to the preceding 4 year average of 66. Even in 2014, 101 Padma Shri awards were given compared to the preceding 4 year average of 80. On average, the number of Padma Shri awards in 2004, 2009 and 2014 was 30% more than the average of the preceding non-election years.
Election Year 2004
The BJP led NDA was in power before the 2004 General Elections. Out of the 74 Padma Shri awards given in 2004, 13 awards were given to people from Delhi, 10 each to people from Karnataka & Maharashtra. Six awards were given to people from Kerala, 5 each from Tamil Nadu & Uttar Pradesh. The BJP that was in power in before the 2004 elections did well in both Karnataka & Maharashtra, while it lost badly in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the BJP could not win even a single constituency. Eventually, the NDA lost the election and the UPA came to power.
Election Year 2009
The Congress led UPA was in power when the Padma awards were announced in 2009. Out of the 93 Padma Shri Awards given in 2009, 16 were given to people from Delhi, 14 to people from Maharashtra, 8 to people from Tamil Nadu, 7 to people from Kerala, 4 awards each to people from Karnataka, West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh. The Congress was in power in Delhi, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, while its ally DMK was in power in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala, the LDF was in power and the Left Front had just withdrawn its support to the UPA government. Not even a single award went to people from Gujarat.
Election Year 2014
The Congress led UPA was in power when the Padma awards were announced in 2014. Out of the 101 Padma Shri Awards, Delhi & Maharashtra took a lion’s share with 21 and 16 awards respectively. 8 awards went to people form Haryana where elections were due a year later. 7 awards went to people from Andhra Pradesh, 6 awards each to people from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. 5 awards were given to people from Gujarat.
Is Politics playing a role?
While there seems to be no direct link between the electoral performance and number of awards to people from a particular state, it does seem that the greater political clout at the center plays a significant role in winning these awards. States like Delhi & Maharashtra have won disproportionately higher number of awards compared to the rest of the states. Out of the 1200 odd Padma Shri awards given in the last 16 years, Delhi & Maharashtra account for close to a third of these awards. Add Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka to the list, the percentage of awardees from these five states crosses the half way mark. A state like Bihar on the other hand had barely 20 winners in the last 16 years.
The Seven states (Delhi, UP, AP, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka & Kerala) accounted for 63% of all Padma Shri awardees in the last 16 years.
(This is the second story of a two part series. The first part looked at the distribution of Padma Shri awards over the years and number of awardees from various categories)

created: February 3, 2016


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Pakistan Army chief comment that Masood Azhar is not dead, he is alive in our hearts was a satirical post by a Parody Account - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 5, 2019
A post is being shared by many users on Facebook claiming Pakistan Army chief has commented on the death of founder and leader of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, Masood Azhar. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Pakistan Army Chief: “Masood Azhar is not dead, he is alive in our hearts”.
The source of the information being posted by many users on Facebook is a parody account which posts satirical and parody content. So, the claim made is FALSE.
When searched for the statements said to be made by Pakistan Army Chief Bajwa on Google, a link to ‘Limes of India’ post can be found in the search results. The description of the account on Twitter shows that the page posts only fake tweets. So, the content of the tweets should not be taken seriously.
Finally, there is no truth in the post. It’s just a satirical take on the Pakistan Army Chief.


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Pakistan transgender activist's picture shared as kidnapped Afghanistan Ambassador’s daughter - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 20, 2021
An image is being shared on social media claiming it as the picture of the Afghanistan Ambassador’s daughter, who was kidnapped and tortured by militants in Pakistan. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of Afghanistan Ambassador’s daughter who was kidnapped and tortured in Pakistan.
Fact: While it is true that Afghanistan Ambassador Najib Alikhil’s daughter was kidnapped and tortured by unknown assailants in Islamabad (Pakistan), the photo shared in the post is not of Silsila Alikhil, Najib Alikhil’s daughter. The photo shows Pakistan transgender activist Gul Chahat. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, similar visuals of the woman were found in the videos uploaded by few users on YouTube. They can be seen here and here. These users mentioned the woman as a popular TikTok star, Gul Chahat. When we searched for more details of the woman using these keywords, we found similar photos posted on the Facebook page of Gul Chahat. On 16 July 2021, Gul Chahat posted a video explaining the cause of injuries on her face. In the video, Gul Chahat said that she was facing life threats and pleaded support from her friends and fans.
In September 2020, the Pakistan-based ‘The News’ website had published an article on Gul Chahat. This article mentioned Gul Chahat as a Pakistan-based transgender activist. In the article, Gul Chahat said that she was intimidated psychologically and was facing life threats. According to the article, several transgenders were facing life threats in several parts of Pakistan. The other images and videos of Gul Chahat can be seen here and here.
Silsila Alikhil, daughter of Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan was kidnapped and severely tortured by unknown assailants in Islamabad, Pakistan. This incident took place on 16 July 2021. Najibullah Alikhil, the Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan had condemned this inhuman act on his daughter. Following this incident, the Afghanistan Government called back the Afghanistan Ambassador and all Senior Diplomats in Pakistan to Kabul.
Najibullah Alikhil tweeted a photo of his daughter and clarified that an unrelated woman’s picture was shared as his daughter on social media. News articles and videos that reported this incident can be seen here and here.
په ډیری بښنی سره:
مجبور شوم چی د خپل لورکی سلسله علی خیل عکس دلته خپور کړم، چون په ټولنیزو شبکو کی د کوم بل چا عکس په غلطه نشر شوی، په داسی حال کی چی زه یی اصلأ نه پیژنم. مننه pic.twitter.com/Jjx2vQciKp
To sum it up, a Pakistan transgender activist’s photo is shared as the picture of the kidnapped Afghanistan Ambassador’s daughter.


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‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were not raised by the school students in Mandsaur - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 17, 2019
A video is being shared on Facebook with a claim that the kids of a madarsa-school have raised slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh). Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Students of a madrasa-school in Mandsaur raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans.
Fact: The students raised slogans (‘Sabir Sahab Zindabad’) supporting their principal. They did not raise any pro-Pakistan slogans. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched for the news on Google with the keywords ‘Mandsaur School Pakistan Zindabad’, some news articles on this issue can be found in the search results. According to ‘The Indian Express’ article, the students raised slogans (‘Sabir Sahab Zindabad’) in favour of the Principal thinking that the Principal would be sacked due to a dispute between the Principal and the Secretary of the Institution (Anjuman-e-Islam Committee).
Saurabh Dubey (Principal of the English Medium School) spoke to NDTV and clarified that the students did not raise any pro-Pakistan slogans. Also, Narendra Solanki (City ASP) told NDTV that they have used forensic analysis methods to analyze the video being circulated and concluded that the students were not raising any ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans.
If the voice in the video is carefully heard, it is clear that the slogans have no mention of Pakistan. To sum it up, ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were not raised by the school students in Mandsaur.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series on Parliament?


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బాలాకోట్ దాడుల్లో 300 మంది మృతి చెందినట్లు పాక్ మాజీ దౌత్యవేత్త హిలాలీ అంగీకరించలేదు - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 11, 2021
2019లో భారత్ నిర్వహించిన బాలాకోట్ ఎయర్ స్ట్రైక్ దాడుల్లో 300 మంది మృతి చెందినట్లు ఒక టీవీ ప్రోగ్రాంలో పాక్ మాజీ దౌత్యవేత్త హిలాలీ అంగీకరించినట్టు చెప్తూ, ఒక పోస్ట్ ని సోషల్ మీడియాలో కొందరు షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు. ఆ పోస్ట్ లో ఎంతవరకు నిజముందో చూద్దాం.
క్లెయిమ్: బాలాకోట్ ఎయర్ స్ట్రైక్ దాడుల్లో 300 మంది మృతి చెందినట్లు అంగీకరించిన పాక్ మాజీ దౌత్యవేత్త హిలాలీ.
ఫాక్ట్: బాలాకోట్ ఎయర్ స్ట్రైక్ దాడుల్లో 300 మంది మృతి చెందినట్లు జాఫర్ హిలాలీ అంగీకరించలేదు. తను అంగీకరించినట్టు సోషల్ మీడియాలో వైరల్ అవుతున్నది ఒక ఎడిటెడ్ వీడియో. కావున పోస్ట్ లో చెప్పింది తప్పు.
పోస్ట్ లోని విషయం గురించి ఇంటర్నెట్ లో వెతకగా, అదే విషయం చెప్తూ తెలుగు వార్తాసంస్థలు [ఈనాడు (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), టీవీ9 (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), నమస్తే తెలంగాణ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), టైమ్స్ అఫ్ ఇండియా – తెలుగు (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), సాక్షి (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), 10టీవీ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), V6 న్యూస్ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), ప్రజాశక్తి (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), ఎన్‌టీవీ న్యూస్ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), జీ హిందూస్తాన్ – తెలుగు (ఆర్కైవ్డ్), మరియు ఆంధ్రజ్యోతి (ఆర్కైవ్డ్)] కూడా ఆర్టికల్స్ ప్రచురించినట్టు తెలిసింది.
పోస్ట్ లోని విషయం చెప్తూ కొందరు యూట్యూబ్ లో వీడియోలు కూడా పెట్టారు.వాటిని ఇక్కడ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్) మరియు ఇక్కడ (ఆర్కైవ్డ్) చూడవొచ్చు.
ఆంగ్ల వార్తాసంస్థలు కూడా ఈ వార్తని ప్రచురించాయి. అయితే, ‘ANI’ సంస్థ నుండి వచ్చిన బాలాకోట్ వార్తలో తప్పులు ఉన్నందున తమ ఆర్టికల్ ని తీసేస్తున్నాము అని ‘మింట్’ వారు రాసినట్టు ఇక్కడ చూడవొచ్చు. ‘ANI’ వారు కూడా తమ ఆర్టికల్ ని తీసేసారు; వారి ఆర్టికల్ యొక్క ఆర్కైవ్డ్ వెర్షన్ ఇక్కడ చదవొచ్చు. ‘టైమ్స్ నౌ’ వారు కూడా ఈ వార్త పై వివరణ ఇచ్చారు.
బాలాకోట్ వార్తలో ఏం తప్పు ఉందో తెలుసుకోవడానికి ప్రయత్నిద్దాం. ‘రిపబ్లిక్ టీవీ’ ప్రచురించిన ఆర్టికల్ లో జాఫర్ హిలాలీ చేసిన వ్యాఖ్యలు అని ఒకరు పెట్టిన ట్వీట్ ని చూడవొచ్చు. ఆ ట్వీట్ లోని వీడియోని ఇక్కడ చూడవొచ్చు. ఈ వీడియోని ‘ఇండియా టుడే’ వారు తమ న్యూస్ లో టెలికాస్ట్ కూడా చేసారు.
అయితే, తను మాట్లాడిన వీడియోని తీసుకొని ఎడిట్ చేసి, భారత్ మీడియా తప్పుగా చూపెడుతోందని జాఫర్ హిలాలీ ట్వీట్ చేసాడు. తను ఈ విషయం పై చేసిన ట్వీట్లను ఇక్కడ, ఇక్కడ, మరియు ఇక్కడ చూడవొచ్చు.
జాఫర్ హిలాలీ ట్వీట్ చేసిన వీడియోలో తన వీడియో 23 డిసెంబర్ నాడు ‘Hum News’ లో వచ్చినట్టు చూడవొచ్చు. ఆ కీ-వర్డ్స్ తో వెతకగా, ఆ ప్రోగ్రాం కి సంబంధించిన పూర్తి వీడియో యూట్యూబ్ లో దొరికింది. వైరల్ అవుతున్న వీడియోని పూర్తి వీడియోలో 5:17 సమయం దగ్గర చూడవొచ్చు. అయితే, ఒరిజినల్ వీడియోలో “కమ్సే కమ్ తీన్ సౌ లోగోన్ కొ ఉన్హే మర్నా తా, ఇత్తేఫాకన్ వో నహి మారే” (తెలుగు అనువాదం – కనీసం మూడు వందల మందిని చంపాలనుకున్నారు, కానీ చంపలేదు) అని అన్నట్టు వినొచ్చు. అయితే, ఎడిటెడ్ వీడియోలో ఎనిమిది-తొమ్మిది సెకండ్ల మధ్య  ‘మర్నా తా’ (చంపాలనుకున్నారు) అనే పదాన్ని ఎడిట్ చేసి, ‘మారే’ (చంపారు) అనే పదం వచ్చేలా చేసారు. అంతేకాదు, ఒరిజినల్ వీడియోలో 4:40 దగ్గర జాఫర్ హిలాలీ మాట్లాడుతూ, ‘300 మంది చదువుతున్న ఒక మదరసా మీద భారత్ దాడి చేయాలనుకుంది, 300 మందిని చంపాలనుకుంది, వాళ్ళు అక్కడ లేకుండే, అది జరగలేదు…’ (తెలుగు అనువాదం) అని అన్నట్టు వినొచ్చు. పోస్ట్ చేసిన ఎడిటెడ్ వీడియో తిప్పి ఉన్నట్టు కూడా గమనించవొచ్చు.
చివరగా, బాలాకోట్ దాడుల్లో 300 మంది మృతి చెందినట్లు పాక్ మాజీ దౌత్యవేత్త హిలాలీ అంగీకరించలేదు.

created: January 11, 2021


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Pakistani flag was displayed on Burj Khalifa during the nation's Independence Day this year - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 21, 2023
A video is being shared on social media where a woman can be heard off-screen expressing her disappointment over Pakistan’s national flag not being displayed on Burj Khalifa on their Independence Day. This scene is followed by visuals of the Indian national flag displayed on Burj Khalifa. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Pakistan’s national flag was not displayed on Burj Khalifa during this year’s Independence Day.
Fact: Burj Khalifa did display the national flag of Pakistan on their Independence Day this year, which was on 14 August 2023. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
To check the veracity of the viral claim, we performed a keyword search on the internet, which led us to several news reports (here, here, and here) according to which Pakistan nationals were disappointed after its national flag was not displayed on Burj Khalifa this year during their Independence Day.
Media further reported that the Dubai administration woke up when the video went viral on social media and Pakistani users started condemning the act. Burj Khalifa later displayed the country’s national Flag. The official Instagram page of Burj Khalifa posted a video of the Pakistani flag displayed on the building on 14 August 2023, wishing all the Pakistanis a happy Independence Day.
A post shared by Burj Khalifa by Emaar (@burjkhalifa)
Celebrating Indian Independence Day, Indian National Flag was also displayed on Burj Khalifa on 15 August 2023.
A post shared by Burj Khalifa by Emaar (@burjkhalifa)
To sum up, the claim that Pakistan’s National flag was not displayed on Burj Khalifa on this year’s Independence Day is Baseless.


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Pakistani men uprooting saplings in disputed land is given a false communal colour - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 11, 2020
A post in which a video showing a group of men in Pakistan uprooting saplings is doing rounds on social media with the claim that they are doing so because planting trees is against their faith. Through this article let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Group of men in Pakistan uprooting saplings, as planting trees is against their faith.
Fact: According to various news articles, the incident took place in Pakistan. As per these reports, group of men uprooted saplings as they were planted in a disputed land. No news article attributed this incident to their faith. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A simple google search with the keywords ‘Pakistan saplings uprooting’ led us to a news article which reported the incident. According to the article, the incident took place in Mandi Kas area in Khyber Agency in Pakistan. As per the report, the saplings were uprooted as they were planted in disputed land.
The article reported Deputy Commissioner Khyber Mahmood Aslam saying that there was a dispute between two groups over the land, one of the groups gave permission for the plantation drive whereas the other group uprooted them. Few other news articles which reported the incident can be seen here and here. But none of these articles attributed the incident to religious faith.
To sum it up, saplings were uprooted by Pakistani men because they were planted in a disputed land. The incident has nothing to do with religion.
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Pakistan’s SSG Commando training video is being shared as that of Sri Lankan police torturing terrorist supporters - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 7, 2019
Many Facebook users are sharing a post with a video alleging that the Sri Lankan police has arrested terrorist supporters and are torturing them. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
In the video posted, Sri Lankan police are torturing the terrorist supporters they have apprehended.
Fact: It is a Pakistan’s SSG Commando training video. So the claim that Sri Lankan police are torturing terrorist supporters is FALSE.
Ever since the Easter day blasts in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019, several images and videos of terrorists being caught are doing rounds on social media with false narratives. The above video is one such video.
When observed the dress worn by the persons in the video and the logo on the black T-shirt, it can be said that they are Pakistani soldiers. When the video in the post is run through the Invid, several keyframes were obtained. On using Yandex Reverse Image Search technique, the same video was found on YouTube. The date of its upload was found to be March 7,2019, i.e. before the occurrence of Easter day blasts. So, the video is in no way connected to the Sri Lankan Church blasts.
Previously, when the same video was shared with other claims, AltNews has debunked the video and as per that fact check, the video is the one related to Pakistan’s SSG Commando training.
To sum it up, the video posted is not that of Sri Lankan police torturing the terrorist supporters. It is a Pakistan’s SSG Commando training video.


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Palghar mob lynching incident is being falsely shared as a Hindu-Muslim incident - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 20, 2020
A video of a mob lynching incident in Palghar district (Maharashtra) is being shared with a communal claim that Muslims killed them because they were Sadhus. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Muslims killed Sadhus in Palghar (Maharashtra).
Fact: While it is true that three people, including sadhus, were lynched in Palghar (Maharashtra), it was not a communal incident as mentioned in the post. A group of villagers lynched three men on the suspicion that they were thieves. The Palghar Police have clarified that the accused belong to the local tribal community and there was no communal angle to the incident. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched on the internet, many news reports regarding the incident were found in the search results. In ‘The Week’ article, it can be read that Inspector Anandrao Kale (Kasa police station) said, ‘The three had come from Mumbai and their vehicle was stopped on the Dhabadi-Khanvel road near Gadchinchale village by local residents. They were pulled out of the car and attacked by villagers with stones and other objects on suspicion that they were thieves.’ They were two sadhus among the deceased. In the India Today article, it can be read that a similar incident happened in the area, a few days ago, based on the same suspicions. Also, FACTLY has contacted Palghar PRO, who has denied any communal angle to the incident. More information regarding the incident can be read here and here.
The Palghar Police tweeted that ‘till now 110 accused (of the local tribal community) have been arrested out of which 9 are juvenile.’ Also, Anil Deshmukh (Home Minister of Maharashtra) has tweeted that the accused and victims are not from different religions and asked people not to portray it as a communal incident. A ground report by ABP News on the incident can be watched here.
To sum it up, the Palghar mob lynching incident is being falsely shared as a Hindu-Muslim incident.
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‘Paracetamol P-500 pills containing Machupo virus’ is just a hoax - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 2, 2019
The news that Paracetamol tablets contain Machupo virus is doing rounds on social media. On Facebook, many users are seen making posts about it and are saying, “URGENT WARNING! Be careful not to take the paracetamol that comes written P-500. It’s new, very white and shiny paracetamol. Doctors advise that it contains ”Machupo” virus, considered one of the most dangerous viruses in the world with high mortality rate. Please share this message for all people and families and save a life or lives …I’ve done my part, now it’s your turn …remember that God helps those who help others & themselves!”. Let’s try to analyze the claims made in the post.
Paracetamol P-500 pills contain ‘Machupo’ Virus.
Fact: Several Health Agencies and Medical associations across the globe have concluded that the news regarding Paracetamol P-500 pills containing ‘Machupo’ Virus is a hoax. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When Googled for any news about Paracetamol tablets containing ‘Machupo virus’, an article in “The Hindu” terming such a viral message as false was found. According to the article, when ‘The Hindu’ approached experts, they were informed that there have been no cases of Machupo viruses recorded in India.
When looked for further information, it was found that such news is in circulation since 2017. Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has addressed this hoax alert when it made rounds there 3 years ago.
When the same news about the presence of Machupo virus in Paracetamol pills has spread in Malaysia, the country’s Health Ministry has confirmed it to be untrue.
To sum it up, the news that ParacetamolP-500 pills contain Machupo virus is just a hoax.
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