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MCA announces Fact Checking Network - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 7, 2023
FACTLY is also a member of the MCA network.
The Misinformation Combat Alliance (MCA) is proud to announce the framework for an independent Fact Checking Network (FCN) – our initiative to develop self-governing standards and best practices for fact checking organisations in India, enabling them to become trusted partners in the fight against the weaponisation of misinformation and disinformation.
It is no secret that the spread of misinformation and disinformation online (often clubbed under the moniker of “fake news”) has become one of the most significant challenges of the modern age. Countries around the world are grappling with the difficulties of addressing this challenge, as are social media platforms, messaging services and other intermediaries which have found themselves the battlegrounds of an ever-evolving war between truth and falsehood.
In recent years, fact checking organisations have been stepping up to the challenge, helping average citizens understand the dangers of false and misleading information, and how they can be vigilant to avoid falling prey to them. India has been no exception to this phenomenon, and indeed is now home to the largest fact checking community in the world.
This is a diverse and vibrant community, which has honed its ability to effectively communicate with the diverse and vibrant people of India, no matter which language, and no matter which format, is required for the job. It is therefore an ideal partner for civil society, tech platforms and the government in their efforts to tackle the problem of misinformation and disinformation.
Given this increasingly important role for the Indian fact checking community, we also understand the need to earn the trust of India’s digital nagriks. They need to be satisfied that our work is unbiased, rigorous and fair; and that we are transparent about our approach and how we operate, so that they can feel safe relying on our assessments and fact checks when trying to make sense of the world around them.
The FCN has a robust Code of Principles that is meant to provide Indian fact checkers with the guidance they need to ensure their work is of an unimpeachable standard. The Code includes commitments to non-partisanship and fairness (including not unduly targeting any side), transparency of methodology (including explaining how fact checks are done and what evidence is used) and transparency of funding (to ensure readers are aware of any relevant bias).
While such commitments can also be found in international best practices, the FCN Code of Principles goes further, with tailored provisions to ensure that the interests of India’s digital nagriks are firmly front and centre. Fact checking organisations that sign up to the Code have to commit to ensuring that their checks are easily accessible and are not hidden behind a paywall, and that their checks can be used for non-commercial purposes like awareness campaigns under a creative commons licence. They also have to demonstrate a commitment to privacy and safety, including considerations under Indian law for protecting the identities of children and victims of heinous crimes, as well as protecting personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
Organisations that are willing to sign up to the Code of Principles will become part of a standard framework for fact checking in India, overseen by the FCN Board. The Board is a self-governing body established under a special charter to verify whether an organisation’s processes and workflow is compliant with the FCN Code of Principles. Organisations which meet the standards will be accredited as ‘verified signatories’ to the Code. This can be viewed as a certification to the public as well as platforms and government authorities that the organisation can be trusted to employ the highest standards in the conduct of fact checking.
The FCN Board will comprise independent eminent persons from the field of media, broadcasting, journalism, human rights or law – all of whom must be Indian citizens –  with a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge as its Chairperson. The Board will obtain reports from expert assessors to determine whether an organisation should be accepted as a verified signatory. These assessors need to be Indian citizens with extensive experience and qualifications, and will need to demonstrate their political neutrality to perform this role. The Board will also ensure any signatories which violate the Code face consequences, including in serious cases losing their status and being barred from applying for it again. Any member of the general public can file a complaint about such violations against a verified signatory, ensuring that Indian citizens can keep their trusted fact checkers accountable.
While the MCA has worked on drawing up this framework, we want it to be a framework for all Indian fact checkers, which can eventually become a leading standard in South Asia and beyond. Any fact checking organisation with a demonstrable focus on India, and which publishes fact checks in English or any of the 22 languages recognised by the Indian Constitution, is eligible to apply to become a verified signatory. It will not be necessary for a fact checker to join the MCA to do so.
The FCN framework is meant to be a multi-stakeholder initiative that builds public trust and can become an integral part of comprehensive strategies to address online misinformation and disinformation. The framework was therefore prepared following widespread consultations with relevant stakeholders.
We hope to continue to be able to work with others committed to the fight to protect Indian citizens from online harms, and ensure that the Indian fact checking community fulfils its incredible potential for years to come. As part of these efforts, we have launched an email (factcheckthis@mcaindia.in) that will serve as a hotline where posts or messages containing potential or suspected misinformation can be sent for fact checking and verification by our member fact-checking newsrooms.
We are also excited to welcome new members to the MCA family, and look forward to expanding this community to be ever-more inclusive, diverse, and dynamic.

created: November 7, 2023


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MDR for Debit Card Transactions will now be based on Merchant Turnover - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 22, 2017
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is inviting comments on a draft circular issued to rationalize the MDR on debit card transactions. The circular seeks to restructure the MDR based on merchant turnover rather than the value of the transaction.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2012 capped the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for debit card transactions based on the value of transaction. After demonetization, it issued one more circular further reducing the MDR on debit card transactions below Rs 2000. It has now issued a draft circular to rationalize the MDR on debit card transactions based on merchant’s turnover rather than the value of the transaction. RBI is now seeking comments on this draft circular on or before February 28th, 2017.
To encourage the use of debit cards, especially at smaller merchants/service providers, the RBI in 2012 had capped the MDR for debit card transactions like the following.
After demonetization a few months ago, RBI further reduced MDR on debit card transactions to facilitate more card payments. As a special measure, it introduced the following cap on MDR till 31st March, 2017.
These were supposed to be a temporary measure. Now the RBI has issued a draft circular that seeks to rationalize MDR on debit card transactions by taking the merchant’s turnover rather than the value of the transaction following consultations with various stakeholders. The circular also proposes a differential MDR for Government transactions and for certain special categories. The circular also talks about need to encourage asset-light digital infrastructure such as QR-code. Hence it proposes to differentiate MDR between acquiring infrastructure involving physical terminals, including mPOS and digital acceptance infrastructure models such as QR Code.
Under the proposed model, merchants will be categorized as,
The GST limits have been considered for the above classification for transparency and uniformity. As and when the GST limits undergo a change, RBI proposes to modify the categorization accordingly.
The circular also mentions that the MDR for debit cards for petrol/fuel shall be decided after the industry consultation process with Oil Ministry is completed.
The circular has also listed an indicative list of merchants for both the special category and government transactions.
The following are part of the indicative list in the special category of merchants
The following are part of the Government Merchant Category as listed in the draft circular
The draft circular also puts the responsibility on the banks to ensure that all merchants display the signage “No convenience or service charge is payable by customers”. It has to be noted that the banks are free to set the MDR on debit card transactions below the above mentioned regulatory caps in each category.
The comments to the draft circular may be sent by post to the Chief General Manager, Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office Building, 14th Floor, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai – 400 001, or by email to mdrfeedback@rbi.org.in on or before February 28, 2017.

source: news-factly

created: February 22, 2017

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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‘Measure Call Drops at a more granular level’ – Parliamentary Standing Committee to TRAI
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 25, 2017
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology submitted a report on the issue of call drops and recommended that the Quality of Service parameters including call drop rate be measured at a more granular level.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology submitted its 38th report recently on the issue of ‘Quality of Service & Reported Call Drops’. Among other things, the committee felt that the current way of measuring ‘Quality of Service (QoS)’ parameters is not adequate to identify problematic areas and recommended that TRAI come up with a new set of QoS parameters to measure them at a more granular level including the rate of call drops.
The issue of ‘Call Drops’
TRAI had laid down QoS benchmarks to measure various parameters including call drop rate.  For call drops, the current benchmark is ≤ 2% for both 2G & 3G while the bench mark for worst affected cells is ≤ 3%. These are measured for the service area as a whole and averaged for a quarter. These regulations were amended in 2015 to increase the financial disincentive component for any violation of the QoS benchmark.
Reasons for Call Drops – Who said what?
In their submission to the standing committee, various stakeholders cited different reasons for call drops. The Department of Telecom (DoT) mentioned the following reasons for call drops.
On the other hand, TRAI mentioned the following reasons in addition to what the DoT cited.
Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) in their submission classified the call drop scenarios into 4 types. In other words, COAI said that the first three types of call drop scenarios are beyond their control.
So what did the Standing Committee recommend?
On the issue of call drops, the standing committee put forth a set of recommendations for various stake holders after going through their submissions.
Measure Call drops at a more granular level: The Committee felt that there are critical gaps in QoS parameters. The committee also felt that QoS parameters should be measured at more micro granular level, such as at Secondary Switching Area (SSA) level or at district/city level or at Short Distance Charging Area (SDCA) level, BTS level, etc. This, the committee felt would give a realistic assessment of call drops and also provide detailed information about areas where the performance is poor. The committee recommended that TRAI revise its QoS parameters and a new set of parameters be framed, so that coordinated action could be taken to address areas with issues.
Complete consultation on Call Drops in a time bound manner: In their submission to the committee, the telecom service providers in general were not in favour of shifting the measurement from service area to sub-service area level and cited numerous reasons, such as factors beyond TSPs control, no international reference of sub-service area level bench-marking comparable to India, lack of availability of digital maps with clearly defined towns, etc.  Hence the committee recommended that TRAI examine the method of measurement of call drop carefully so that better measurement parameters are adopted. The committee also recommended that the consultation on measurement of call drop be completed in a time bound manner and that the committee is kept informed of the outcome.
Constructive partnership needed to resolve the issue of call drops: The committee felt that all stakeholders including the consumers should come together in unison and build a constructive partnership to address the issue of call drops as the reasons are many. The Committee recommended that the government review the status of remedial measures taken at regular intervals.
Educate Customers: As per TRAI’s technical paper on call drops, 36.9 per cent of call drops is because of the consumer’s fault, the second largest cause. Since there are no guidelines to educate consumers about irregular user behaviour that can cause call drop, the Committee recommended that necessary information be compiled in both the national and major regional languages for the benefit of the consumers and consumers be educated through awareness campaigns.
Other recommendations: The committee also made other recommendations like strict implementation of BIS standards for all handsets to prevent sub-standard handsets from getting into the markets. The committee also recommended that the TRAI act be amended to empower it with punitive powers for implementing the QoS benchmarks. The committee also felt that public should be made aware to allay the fears of consumers and Residence Welfare Associations (RWAs) about EMF Radiation.


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Media did not ignore Dayanand Tiwari, saviour of Mundka fire accident; Several media agencies reported his brave act - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 17, 2022
In light of the recent fire accident in Delhi’s Mundka area, in which at least 27 people are reported dead, a social media post claiming that media did not report Dayanand Tiwari’s brave act of saving at least 50 people is being widely shared. The post reasons that media did not report about him because he is a Hindu. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Media did not report Dayanand Tiwari’s brave act of saving 50 people during the fire accident in Delhi’s Mundka.
Fact: It is true that Dayanand Tiwari along with Anil Tiwari rescued at least 50 people from the Mundka fire. However, contrary to the claim, multiple mainstream media agencies have reported his act of bravery. Many politicians, film personalities and journalists have heaped praises on Dayanand Tiwari. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Earlier this month, a major fire broke out in a building near West Delhi’s Mundka metro station, killing at least 27 people and many others have been reported missing.
While the building was engulfed in fire, Dayanand Tiwari, a crane driver saved as many as 50 people from the fire accident. He along with his helper Anil Tiwari  rescued people with the help of the crane.
However, contrary to the claim made in the viral post, multiple media agencies reported Dayanand Tiwari’s valiant act. Mainstream media agencies like The  Times  of  India, Business Standard, NDTV, The  Statesman, Amarujala, Odishatv, India  TV, ETV  Bharat, Times Now, and many other news agencies have reported this news. Even regional media agencies have also reported about Dayanand Tiwari (here, here & here).
In fact, many politicians, film personalities and journalists have also tweeted praising Dayanand Tiwari. Few of these tweets can be seen here, here and here . Hence, all these establish that Dayanand Tiwari’s valiant act is not ignored by media but reported by multiple news agencies.
Displaying an astute sense of awareness and prompt action, a local crane operator, Dayanand Tiwari, saved the lives of more than 50 people during the Mundka fire accident in Delhi.
Saluting this common man who rose to the occasion & took the responsibility of rescuing people. pic.twitter.com/pbXh7pXI4d
To sum it up, Media did not ignore Dayanand Tiwari, saviour of Mundka fire accident. Several media agencies reported his brave act.


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How the media misinterpreted & misreported the PM’s statements on Passports
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2017
The provision for retaining the maiden name in passport always existed. While the PM was referring to the rule about single parents, the media understood it as the maiden name.
In the last two days, there have been numerous stories written about how women can now have their maiden name in the passport and not change it after marriage.  Newspapers & various online media outlets picked up from the Prime Minister’s speech on the occasion of 50th year celebrations of Indian Merchant Chamber Ladies Wing. A closer analysis of what the PM said and how it was interpreted by the media reveals that it is a classic case of misreporting and trying to manufacture something that always existed.
What did the PM really say?
The Prime Minister said the following with respect to passport in his speech.
The PM made the following two statements with respect to passport.
Let us examine both the statements.
Submission of Certificates no more mandatory
The government in December 2016 had announced new passport rules. Among other things, the new rules include the following
Hence this statement of the PM is true that the current government has simplified the passport rules and removed the mandatory rule about submission of marriage certificate or a divorce decree. This is not just for a woman, but is equally applicable to a man.
Did the PM say anything about the maiden name?
The second statement of the Prime Minister was about a woman’s choice of having her mother’s or father’s name in the passport. The statement had nothing to do with retaining the maiden name. In fact, the PM’s statement was about another change in the rules made in December 2016. The change was made to make it easy for single parents to obtain passports for their children. Unlike earlier, the passport application form now requires the applicant to provide the name of father or mother or legal guardian, i.e., only one parent and not both. This would enable single parents to apply for passports for their children and to also issue passports where the name of either the father or the mother is not required to be printed at the request of the applicant. Earlier, it was mandatory to mention both the father’s & mother’s name in the passport application. Again, this rule is not just for a woman, but for any single parent.
What about the Maiden name then?
Nothing changed with respect to the maiden name. A woman always had the choice to retain her maiden name or change it after marriage in the passport. She has to submit relevant proof in case of a change in name. Many women choose to retain their maiden name even after marriage and their passports reflect the same.
For a married woman/man, it is mandatory to fill in the name of the spouse in the passport application though it is not mandatory to submit the marriage certificate.
Misinterpreted & Misreported
The statements made by the PM are equally applicable to a woman as well as a man as per the new passport rules. Most media houses misinterpreted the PM’s second statement and reported as if he was referring to the woman’s maiden name in the passport. They went to the extent of saying that this is something new and has not existed before. The media not only misinterpreted but also misreported the PM’s speech.


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Media reports of finding 3,350 tonnes of gold in Sonbhadra district (UP) are false - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 24, 2020
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that 3000 tonnes of gold discovered in Sonbhadra (UP). Even, several prominent media agencies have published articles with similar claims. A Central Minister has also tweeted (archived) the same. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
3000 tonnes of gold discovered in Sonbhadra district (UP).
Fact: The Geological Survey of India has clarified that the probable conservative figure of gold which can be unearthed at Sonapahari in Sonbhadra district (UP) is estimated to be around 160 kgs, not 3350 tonnes. It has also said that the media reports, regarding 3,350 tonnes of gold in Sonbhadra district, are not true. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
After news agencies published about the discovery of more than 3000 tonnes of gold in UP, many social media users attributed the success of the discovery to various persons and events. While some attributed it to the start of the process of temple construction in Ayodhya, the others attributed it to the Chief Minister of UP (Yogi Adityanath) and Lord Ram. Some even claimed that the gold found will be donated to the Ram Mandir.
But, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has clarified that the media reports of finding 3,350 tonnes of gold in Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh are false. The GSI has tweeted that ‘the probable conservative figure of gold which can be unearthed is estimated to be around 160 kgs and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in media reports’.
As per GSI study,the probable conservative figure of gold which can be unearthed is estimated to be around 160 kgs and not 3350 tonnes as mentioned in media reports.
For more details, read the GSI press release below!#GSI #UncoveringIndia #Sonbhadra #UttarPradesh #Gold pic.twitter.com/KvY5ffZsGh
In the GSI’s Press Release, it can be read that around 53000 tonnes of ore with 3.03 grams’ gold per tonne were found at Sonapahari area in Sonbhadra district (UP), in the explorations conducted during 1998-2000. As the conversion rate is 3.03 grams’ gold per tonne, 53000 tonnes of Ore would just give around 160 kgs of gold (53000 x 3.03 / 1000). In the ‘Briefing Book’ published by GSI, it can be seen that 160 kgs of gold at Sonapahari area in Sonbhadra district (UP) was found back in 2000, not recently. The gold ore was also found in other areas of the same district but the estimates are very low and the gold ore reserves found are of low-quality. The GSI has stopped exploration at some places as it was not profitable to extract gold from those ores. More details regarding the gold ores and quality can be read in the Factly’s explainer.
Basic research of the official documents (all of them available inthe public domain) indicates that the numbers quoted by the UP officials wereexaggerated. The media reporting gave rise to all kinds of misinformationaround this issue. Though the clarification from GSI was also carried by allthe media outlets, it was a little too late in the day.
To sum it up, ‘media reports of finding 3,350 tonnes of gold in Sonbhadra district (UP) are false’, says GSI.
Did you watch our new video in the DECODE series?

created: February 24, 2020


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Number Medical Seats per Lakh Population
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2018
Number of Medical Seats per Lakh Population

created: February 21, 2018


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Meghalaya road accident video is being falsely shared as Pakistan army’s attack on Indian soldiers. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 4, 2019
A video is being shared on Facebook with a claim that the Pakistan army has attacked a bus full of Indian soldiers. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Videos shows Indian soldiers injured in an attack by Pakistan army.
Fact: The video is related to a road accident in Meghalaya. The BSF jawans in the video got injured as the bus fell into a gorge. The accident has no connection with any attack by the Pakistan army. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Google Reverse Image Search, many news articles with similar visuals were found in the search results. According to an article published by ‘Northeast Now’, the jawans in the video suffered injuries when the ‘bus carrying 20 BSF jawans fell into a deep gorge’. Talking to ‘Northeast Now’, Lakador Syiem (SP, East Jaintia Hills) said, ‘At around 4:30 PM, an overspeeding bus with registration No. AS-05C-2034 went off-road and fell in a gorge (approx 100 ft) at Umtyraa in East Jaintia Hills.’ The same news can also be read here and here.
To sum it up, Meghalaya road accident video is being falsely shared as Pakistan army’s attack on Indian soldiers.
Did you watch our new Episode of the DECODE series?

created: November 4, 2019


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Men between 18 & 45 years are the worst victims of Road Accidents - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 12, 2016
In 2014 alone, more than 5 lakh road accidents took place resulting in 1.41 lakh deaths. This number is only increasing each year. Close to 2/3rd of the victims are in the age group of 18 to 45 years.
The government launched the Road Safety week on 11 January, 2016 with an aim to tackle the growing number of road accidents in the country. In 2014, about 5 lakh road accidents claimed more than 1.4 lakh lives. This is a whopping 388 deaths per day and 16 deaths per hour. The worrying aspect of these numbers is that its increasing each year.
85% of the victims are Men
Of the 1.41 lakh deaths due to road accidents in 2014, more than 1.2 lakh of them are men, about 20000  women and 17 transgender. More than 85% of the victims are men. Of the 1.41 lakh deaths,  5482 were in the age group of less than 14 years and 11418 were in the 14 to 18 year age group.  Almost 91000 victims were in the age group of 18 to 45 years, 24780 in the age group of 45 to 60 years. Close to 2/3 of the of the victims are between 18 & 45 years.
Even within men, it is the same story. Close to 2/3 of the victims are between 18 and 45 years of age indicating that bulk of the road accidents claim lives of the driving population.
More than 50% deaths in just 6 States
Of the states, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh account for 53% of all the deaths. More than 10000 deaths occurred in 5 states and more than 5000 deaths in 10 states. Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest number of deaths in 2014 with 16269 followed by Tamil Nadu (15190), Maharashtra (13527), Karnataka (10444) and Rajasthan (10287).
Tamil Nadu has highest deaths per a lakh population
If the population of the respective states as per the 2011 census is taken into consideration, Tamil Nadu has the highest deaths per one lakh population with 21 followed by Himachal Pradesh with and Goa with 20 each. Haryana comes next with 19 deaths per one lakh population followed by 17 each in Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana), Karnataka & Punjab. While Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of deaths, it had only 8 deaths per one lakh population, much less than the national average of 12 deaths per one lakh population.
Delhi accounted for most deaths in Cities
In cities, Delhi accounted for the most deaths with 1332 followed by Chennai (1046), Jaipur (844), Bengaluru (729) and Mumbai (667). All the major cities figure in the top ten except Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
The Road Safety Week
The government on its part is organizing a Road Safety Forum, a national meeting of NGOs as a part of the Road Safety week. The Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari said that a website is being launched to help in identifying black spots where accidents take place frequently. He also announced an amount of Rs. 11,000 Crore being earmarked in the next five years to fix black spots across the country.
The minister announced that a Road Safety Authority will be constituted and Road Transport and Safety Bill will be placed shortly before Parliament. He asked people to take a resolve on road safety and bring down road accidents by 50% in next five years.
Featured Image: Biswarup Ganguly [GFDL, CC BY 3.0, GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

created: January 12, 2016


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"Mere Angane Mein" Song Emerges from Folk Origins, Not from the Alleged 1883 Film ‘Miss Sheela’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 25, 2023
A post circulating on social media claims that the popular Bollywood song “Mere Angane Mein” was originally from a 19th-century movie called ‘Miss Sheela’ (1883) and that Bollywood has been blatantly copying without giving credit to the original creator. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: The song “Mere Angane Mein” was originally from a 19th-century movie called ‘Miss Sheela’ (1883).
Fact: There is no evidence of a movie by the name “Miss Sheela” released in 1883. Considering that the first Indian talkie film, “Alam Ara,” was released in 1931, and the patent for the gramophone was only granted in 1887, with the first-ever Indian recording taking place in 1902, it is highly implausible that a film called ‘Miss Sheela’ was released in 1883 with songs recorded on gramophone records. Furthermore, the song “Mere Angane Mein,” which has been featured in several Bollywood films, is actually a traditional folk song from Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we conducted extensive research on various film-related websites to gather more information about the alleged film ‘Miss Sheela,’ mentioned in the post. However, we were unable to find any Hindi film by that name released in 1883. Furthermore, ‘Alam Ara,’ released in 1931, was India’s first talkie film, and the gramophone, which was previously used to play songs/recordings, was only patented in 1887 and later made available to the public.
Also, India witnessed its first-ever voice recording on the gramophone only in 1902. In addition, electric records, as shown in the viral post, only started gaining popularity in the 1920s. Consequently, there is no evidence to support the existence of a film named ‘Miss Sheela,’ and it is implausible that it was released in 1883 with songs recorded on an (electric) gramophone record.
However, as per IMDb and various film-related blogs, the song “Mere Angane Mein,” which was featured in the films ‘Bombay Talkie’ (1970), ‘Maze Le Lo’ (1975), and ‘Laawaris’ (1981), has its origins in traditional folk song popular in Uttar Pradesh and other regions.
According to a website that documents early Indian gramophone record companies, the standard format for gramophone records, particularly those produced by the Singer Phono and Record Agency, includes the song title, singer’s name, and the matrix number. Additionally, each singer was assigned a unique identification number to differentiate their individual performances.
The matrix number is an alphanumeric code etched into the runout groove or stamped on the label of a phonograph record. The format of matrix numbers can vary depending on the record label, pressing plant, or the era in which the record was manufactured. It helps in identifying the specific stamper used to press the record and provides information about the recording session, take number, and other technical details. The matrix number is useful in differentiating various versions, takes, or pressings of the same recording.
Based on the available evidence, it is likely that Miss Sheela is the singer of the song, and the number 1883 represents the matrix number of the record. We have reached out to several experts in gramophone records to gather more information about the singer, the year of the recording etc. This article will be updated accordingly as soon as we obtain the necessary information.
In conclusion, “Mere Angane Mein” was inspired by a traditional folk song, and there is no evidence to support the claim that it was copied from a purported 1883 film by the name ‘Miss Sheela’.
Update (01 May 2023): The article has been updated to include details on the format for gramophone records that includes the song title, singer’s name, and the matrix number.


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Mere consumption of this drink doesn’t burn your body fat - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 9, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming that  consuming a glass of a drink mixed with Chia seeds, cayenne pepper, Ginger powder, lemon juice, warm water and organic honey everyday burns the belly fat upto 17 pounds in just 2 weeks. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim:  A glass of drink mixed with Chia seeds, cayenne pepper, Ginger powder, lemon juice, warm water and organic honey when consumed everyday burns belly fat up to 17 pounds in just 2 weeks.
Fact: Some of the above-mentioned ingredients help in weight management by making you feel full or by increasing metabolism slightly. No research was done on the combined effects of these foods. In fact, no food is truly fat burning, the term “fat-burning foods” may apply to those that produce fat loss by stimulating metabolism, reducing appetite, or reducing overall food intake. There’s no easy way to lose weight quickly. The best way to lose weight is slowly, by making small, achievable changes in diet, eating and exercise habits combined with an active lifestyle and adequate sleep. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING
First, let’s look at issues causing weight gain. According to Harvard Medical School, the following are the leading causes of overweight/obesity:
So, not all people put on weight due to same reason, and hence, weight loss procedure is not same for everyone. Now, let’s look at the health benefits of each of the ingredients used in the drink.
Chia seeds: Better heart health, Improved blood sugar levels, Reduced inflammation, Healthier weight management by making you feel full, so that you consume less food.
Cayenne Pepper: Pain relief, Metabolism Boost, Digestive Health etc.
Ginger: Fights germs, lowers blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, relieves indigestion etc.
Honey:  Might reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, wound healing, might offer anti-depressant, anti-anxiety benefits etc.
Lemon: Improves digestion, promotes heart health, weight management (pectin fibre found in lemons expands once it is ingested, making you feel full sooner and longer) etc.
Warm water: Water keeps the body hydrated. perhaps the heat of the water relaxes your GI tract a bit to help things like constipation. If you have cold symptoms, drinking hot water can help with things like sinus congestion from the steam rising into your nasal passages.
Though these ingredients have several health benefits including weight management, no research was done on the health benefits of these ingredients when consumed together. In fact, no food is truly fat burning, The term “fat-burning foods” may apply to those that produce fat loss by stimulating metabolism, reducing appetite, or reducing overall food intake.
According to Mayo Clinic, Australian Govt’s Department of Health, NHS and nutrition experts, there is no magic drink/food that melt away excess body fat. There’s no easy way to lose weight quickly. The best way to lose weight is slowly, by making small, achievable changes in diet, eating and exercise habits combined with an active lifestyle and adequate sleep.
To sum it up, mere consumption of this drink doesn’t burn your body fat.

created: December 9, 2022


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Mere registration on e-SHRAM portal doesn’t give the registrants ₹5000 pension - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 22, 2022
A video explaining various benefits under e-SHRAM card is being widely shared claiming that this card holders will get a pension of ₹5000 every month. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: e-SHRAM cardholders will get a pension of ₹5000 every month.
Fact: According to the official e-SHRAM portal, holders of eSHRAM card, which is issued for unorganised workers, will get an Accidental Insurance cover of 2 Lakh rupees under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bhima Yojana. Also, one of the objectives of this portal is to share the data of these unorganised workers with various government departments in order to improve the implementation of various social security schemes meant for them. It is nowhere mentioned that the e-SHRAM card holders are eligible for a pension of ₹5000 just by merely registering on this portal. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
What is e-SHRAM card?
According to e-SHRAM portal, it is the card issued for the unorganised workers who successfully register on e-SHRAM portal. This card contains the 12-digit Universal Account Number (UAN) uniquely assigned to each unorganized worker after registration on this portal. UAN is a permanent number and will remain unchanged for the worker’s lifetime. Registration has commenced on e-SHRAM portal from 26 August 2021.
Benefits of registering in e-SHRAM portal:
After registration, he/she will get an Accidental Insurance cover of 2 Lakh rupees under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bhima Yojana (PMSBY). In future, all the social security benefits of unorganized workers will be delivered through this portal. In emergency and national pandemic like situations, this database may be utilized to provide necessary assistance to the eligible unorganized workers.
Eligibility criteria to register in e-SHRAM portal:
Any worker who is working in unorganized sector and aged between 16-59, is eligible to register on the e-SHRAM portal e.g., migrant workers, gig workers, platform workers, agricultural workers, MGNREGA workers, Fishermen, Milk men, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, Street Vendors, Domestic workers, Rickshaw pullers and other workers engaged in similar other occupations in the unorganised sector. Here, “unorganised worker” means a home-based worker, self-employed worker, or a wage worker in the unorganised sector and it also includes a worker in the organized worker who is not a member of ESIC/ EPFO/ Government Employee.
However, it is nowhere mentioned that the e-SHRAM card holders are eligible for a pension of ₹5000 just by merely registering on this portal. However, according to the objectives listed on this portal, this data of the unorganised workers is used to improve the implementation efficiency of the social security services and integration of Social Security Schemes by sharing the information with various state and central government departments. To know more about this portal, visit here.
To sum it up, mere registration on the e-SHRAM portal doesn’t provide the registrants a pension of ₹5000 every month..

created: November 22, 2022


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Message claiming that entire Mumbai will be under the military lockdown for 10 days is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 11, 2020
A message is being shared on social media claiming that entire Mumbai will be under the military lockdown for 10 days starting from Saturday. But, FACTLY has found the message to be ‘fake’. The Mumbai Police have termed the message about the military lockdown in Mumbai as a ‘rumour’ and clarified that the army is not being called out to the city. Press Information Bureau (PIB) Mumbai has also debunked the claim and clarified that no army/navy personnel are being deployed for maintaining law and order in the city.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. Mumbai Police Commissioner Tweet – https://twitter.com/CPMumbaiPolice/status/1258780925032267777
2. Mumbai Police Tweet – https://twitter.com/MumbaiPolice/status/1258380112753569794
3. PIB (Mumbai) Tweet – https://twitter.com/PIBMumbai/status/1258692903645429761
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Message in the name of WHO seeking kidney donors from all blood groups is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 7, 2020
A message claiming that the World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking kidney donors from all blood groups is making rounds on social media. The message also mentions that each donor will get 14 crore rupees. But, when FACTLY has contacted a representative of the World Health Organization, we were informed that the message is fake. It was found that similar posts claiming that WHO is seeking kidney donors is making rounds on Facebook since 2019. Also, WHO passed a resolution in 2004 against the sale of organs & organ trafficking.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. FACTLY contacted a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. WHO’s resolution against organ trade & trafficking – https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA57/A57_R18-en.pdf
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Message offering free books and school fees is fake; Same message has been shared for many years - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 12, 2022
A social media post accompanying a list of mobile numbers is being widely circulated across the social media platforms. The Tamil text accompanying these numbers loosely translates to ‘Children who need a school book and children who are unable to pay school fees can contact the numbers below.’ Through this article let’s fact-check the veracity of the message being shared through the post.
Claim: Contact information to avail free textbooks and school fee for poor children.
Fact: The same message has been doing rounds on the internet at least since 2015. However, these numbers are currently inactive, and the list does not provide any details of the sponsors. There is no information about any organisation acknowledging this viral message. Earlier in 2017, a similar message was reported as fake by Maharashtra police. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
These same set of mobile numbers have been doing rounds on the internet at least since 2015. We could trace back to a 2015 Facebook post that shared the same set of numbers with a similar claim. And the same message is being shared every year (here, here & here).
Further, this message is being doing rounds in other languages also (here & here). However, none of these numbers are currently active. While some of the numbers are out of use, some are switched off. It is noteworthy to mention that the viral list does not mention the details about the sponsor, i.e. whether it is an NGO/private or government organisation that is offering this.
Further search led us to 2017 news article that reported a similar message which went viral in the name of police officer Vishwas Nangre Patil as fake.
To sum it up, message offering free books and school fees is fake. Same message has been shared for many years.


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Message shared as a list of blood donors in the past is now being circulated as ‘Plasma donors in Mumbai' for COVID-19 treatment - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 17, 2020
A list with 64 names, blood groups and contact numbers is doing the rounds on social media claiming that it is the list of persons who are ready to donate Plasma in Mumbai for COVID-19 treatment. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Message with a list of persons ready to donate Plasma in Mumbai for COVID-19 treatment.
Fact: Message with the same names was shared earlier in 2016 as the list of persons ready to donate blood. It is now being circulated as the list of persons ready to donate plasma in Mumbai for COVID-19 treatment. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched on Facebook with a contact number in that list, it was found that the same list went viral in 2016. But the message then was shared as a list of ‘Blood donors ready to help’ unlike the current message that claimed it as the list of persons ready to donate plasma in Mumbai for COVID-19 treatment. The same message with the title as ‘Blood donors ready to help’ was also shared in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
When we tried calling a few numbers in that list for clarification, some of the numbers were out of service and the rest haven’t picked up calls. However, to be eligible for plasma donation, a person should have already been contracted with COVID-19 and recovered from it. But it is quite unlikely that the same set of 60+ persons whose names got circulated as ‘blood donors’ in the past were contracted with COVID-19 and are willing to donate their plasma to others.
To sum it up, a message shared as a list of blood donors in the past is now being circulated as ‘Plasma donors in Mumbai for COVID-19 treatment.
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Message suggesting that ‘alkaline foods can kill SARS-CoV-2 virus’ is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 11, 2020
A message is being widely shared on social media with a claim that, according to a research paper in the Journal of Virology (April 1991), eating alkaline foods, which have a pH level above 8.5, can kill the latest Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, which cause COVID-19). Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Eating alkaline foods of pH level above 8.5 can kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Fact: The research paper published in 1991 talks about the MHV4 virus, not about the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Some of the pH levels given in the post are not correct. Also, there is no scientific evidence to prove that eating alkaline foods can kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The 1991 research paper mentioned in the post can be found here. It can be read that it mentions about the ‘Mouse Hepatitis Virus type 4 (MHV4)’, not about the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which was first reported only in 2019).
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. But, in the post, it can be seen that the pH levels of some foods are above 14. Also, the pH of lemon is around 2, not 9.9.
Neither WHO nor the Government of India has suggested any alkaline-based diet to kill Coronavirus. In the Africa Check article, it can be read that Oyewale Tomori (Virology Professor with the WHO) said, “Coronavirus has nothing to do with the stomach, so how do these ‘alkaline foods’, like lemon, lime, avocado, and garlic, beat the virus? This claim should be ignored”.
To sum it up, a message suggesting that ‘alkaline foods can kill SARS-CoV-2 virus’ is fake.
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Message that the Chinese Government revealed the first COVID-19 virus contracted person's name is a satire - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 1, 2021
A post is being circulated on social media with a claim that the Chinese Government has finally revealed the name of the first person who got infected with the COVID-19 in China. This post claims that a Wuhan resident named ‘Lay Lee Sub Kee’ was the first person who got contracted with the COVID-19 virus. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: China Government revealed the details of the first person who got infected with the COVID-19 virus.
Fact: The message shared in the post is a joke.  ‘Lay Lee Sab Kee’ is a Hindi sentence that means ‘take off everyone’. It is a sarcastic message that was being shared on social media at least since May 2020. According to a few Chinese media reports, a 55-year-old from the Hubei province could have been the first person to contract COVID-19. Neither the Chinese Government nor Chinese media channels have revealed the personal details of this person. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the details of the claim made in the post, it is found out that the same message is being shared on social media at least since May 2020. Those posts can be seen here, and here. Most of the users have shared this message as a joke. The name ‘Lay Lee Sab Kee’ is a Hindi sentence that means ‘take off everyone’.
When we searched for the details of the first person who was infected with COVID-19 in China, we found several articles reporting that information. They can be seen here and here. According to the article published by ‘The Guardian’, a 55-year-old person from the Hubei province could have been the first person to contract the COVID-19 virus. ‘The Guardian’ reported this information based on the article published by ‘The South China Morning Post’. Neither the Chinese Government nor Chinese media channels have revealed the personal details of the first COVID-19 victim in China.
To sum it up, this message about the Chinese Government revealing the name of the first person infected with COVID-19 is a satire.


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Messages offering 25 lakh rupees lottery prize from KBC are fraudulent - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 11, 2022
Update (11 July 2022):
Another similar message promising 25 lakh lottery prize money to WhatsApp users is also being widely shared. In order to avail the prize money, the message insists on communicating only through WhatsApp.
However, WhatsApp has not announced any such lottery and the viral is nothing but a fraudulent scam. The Delhi Police’s Cyber Crime Unit, back in December 2021, ruled it as a fraudulent message, wherein scammers cheat the users by demanding an initial deposit to claim the lottery amount.
‘Once the victim deposits that money, they start demanding for more on one pretext or another. The fraudsters insist on communicating only through WhatsApp. They induce the victim to deposit money in various bank accounts and the entire fraud goes on for several weeks and even months for as long as they can keep inducing the victim to deposit money. After some time, they start telling the victim that the lottery amount has been increased further to Rs. 45 lakhs, then to Rs. 75 lakhs, so on and so forth so as to keep the victim engaged and interested. Finally, when the victim starts insisting on getting the money or refuses to pay more, they stop calling him/her and discontinue the WhatsApp numbers that were being used in the fraud’, added the Delhi police.
Delhi police have also unearthed a similar scam, wherein hackers try to take control of the users WhatsApp account and blackmail them.
Published (27 December 2021):
A message is being widely circulating on social media claiming that the Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) management is organising a lottery and is rewarding 25,00,000 rupees as the lottery cash prize. A similar audio call recording was sent to our WhatsApp Tipline (+91 92470 52470) where a man proclaiming himself as a customer office personnel from KBC was greeting a person for winning 25 lakh rupees lottery from KBC.  All these messages are sharing different contact numbers for receiving the prize money. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: KBC is organising a lucky draw and rewarding 25 Lakh rupees as the lottery cash prize.
Fact: KBC is neither conducting any such lucky draw nor is rewarding 25 lakh rupees as a lottery prize. Several reports were found online where such KBC scams have been reported for several years. Delhi Police had created a dedicated webpage explaining the KBC Lottery Frauds. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched for information regarding these audio recordings being circulated in the name of the KBC lottery, we found a tweet made by Tahir Ashraf, a police officer from Jammu and Kashmir. Tahir Ashraf shared a similar audio recording of a woman greeting a person for winning the lottery prize of 25,00,000 rupees from KBC. Tahir Ashraf alerted people that it is a fraud call, luring people in the name of the KBC lottery. Tahir Ashraf warned people not to fall prey to such fraud calls and lose out money to scamsters.
Fake KBC lottery calls: Listen in to avoid falling prey and losing out money to scamsters. pic.twitter.com/TvY8MK2b5c
When we searched for more information regarding these KBC lottery messages circulating on social media, it is found out that the Delhi Police website had created a dedicated webpage for explaining the KBC Lottery Frauds.  A statement in this dedicated webpage of Delhi Police website states, “Any message informing that you have won a lottery or a prize, is, in all likelihood, a fraud”. Recently, a housewife in Mumbai was lured into paying 3.85 lakh on the pretext that she won a KBC lottery. Several such reports were found online where such KBC scams have been reported for several years.
The PIB Fact-Check had also issued a clarification regarding these KBC lottery messages circulating on social media. PIB clarified that messages circulating in the name of the KBC lottery are fake and alerted people not to share their personal information on such e-mails, calls, and messages. Several news websites across the country have published articles alerting the public regarding these fraudulent messages circulating in the name of the KBC lottery. They can be seen here and here. Earlier, when a similar message went viral with a claim that the KBC-Jio department jointly organised a lottery for 25 Lakh rupees, FACTLY published a fact-check article debunking that claim.
To sum it up, messages offering 25 lakh rupees lottery prize from KBC are fraudulent.


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MHA has clarified that the message about Delhi being under lockdown from 18 June 2020 is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 14, 2020
A message citing sources from Home Ministry is being shared on social media platforms claiming that Delhi NCR is going to be under complete lockdown from 18 June 2020, for a duration of 4 weeks. The message also states that Delhi will be under President’s rule. As the message went viral the Press Information Bureau (PIB) through multiple tweets has clarified that the message in circulation about the lockdown is fake, and requested everyone to be aware of such false rumours. These tweets can be seen here and here. The Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs has also retweeted the same message. Hence it is clear that as of today, Delhi is neither under complete lockdown nor under President’s rule from 18 June 2020.
Sources:
Claim –
1. Facebook post (Archived)
Fact –
1. PIB Tweet – https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1272164436053094400
2. PIB tweet – https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1272107873598730240
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MHA official Vishwajit Mukherjee’s message against Chinese firecrackers? Old fake message revived - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 13, 2020
A message is being shared widely on social media with a claim that Vishwajit Mukherjee (Senior Investigation Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs) has cautioned people not to use the Chinese firecrackers for Diwali celebrations as they are filled with harmful chemicals, intentionally by China to take revenge on India. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: A message from Vishwajit Mukherjee (Senior Investigation Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs) against the use of Chinese firecrackers.
Fact: The same message is being shared on social media at least since 2017. No such notice was found to be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The same has been clarified by the Press Information of Bureau (PIB) that the MHA has not issued any such notice. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched on the internet about the message in the post, no such notice was found to be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It was found that the same message is being shared on social media at least since 2017.
Also, no information was found regarding the existence of such officer in the MHA. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has tweeted that the MHA has not issued any such notice and the message is fake. FACTLY has also debunked the same message when it went viral last year in Telugu.
#WhatsApp पर गृह मंत्रालय के कथित अधिकारी के नाम से वायरल मैसेज में दावा किया गया है कि चीन भारत में अस्थमा फैलाने और नेत्र रोग विकार उत्पन्न करने के लिए विशेष प्रकार के पटाखे और सजावटी लाइट्स भेज रहा है।#PIBFactCheck: यह दावा फर्जी है। गृह मंत्रालय ने ऐसी कोई सूचना नहीं दी है। pic.twitter.com/6s1qLp8b31
Previously, some news agencies have published articles regarding the harmful effects of some chemicals used in the Chinese firecrackers. The news articles can be found here and here. Also, FACTLY has written an explainer on directions by Courts & Tribunals about bursting firecrackers during festivals & celebrations. It can be read here.
To sum it up, the message from Vishwajit Mukherjee (Senior Investigation Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs) against the use of Chinese firecrackers is fake. No such notice has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

created: November 13, 2020


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MHA stops sharing data on Communal Incidents which it did till 2017
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2020
Debate on communal riots is a constant in public discourse these days. While NCRB provides data on riots with a  ‘communal/religious’ reasons, the Home Ministry which provided data on communal incidents till 2017 has now stopped providing such data.
Over the past few years, communal incidents and riots have been constant in public discourse. Data provided by law enforcement authorities does indicate a substantial number of communal incidents every year across the country.
In an earlier story on Factly, the trends relating to communal riots were analysed until the year 2017. In this story, we look at the incidence of communal riots as per NCRB’s (National Crime Record Bureau) Crime in India (CII) – 2018 report.
Incidence
of communal riots have reduced in 2018 as per NCRB report
Starting in 2014, the NCRB has modified its formats and included details on riots due to ‘communal/religious’ reasons to be reported separately.
As per the NCRB’s 2018 CII report, 512 cases of riots that are ‘communal/religious’ in nature have been recorded with the police. This is lower than that of 2017 when 723 such incidents were reported. The 2017 figure is was lower than in the previous years.
Overthe five-year period (2014-18) i.e. from the data relating tocommunal/religious riots is being separately recorded, the number of cases hasdropped by more than half. In the year 2014, the incidence of such cases was1,227 which also happens to be the highest in these five years. However, italso needs to be noted that these are incidents reported by the state policeand may not fully represent the actual number of incidents on the ground.
Bihar
continues to report the highest number of ‘Communal Riot cases’
In2017, Bihar recorded the highest number of communal/religious riots with 163cases. In the
year 2018, this number increased marginally to 167 and is stillthe highest among the States & UTs.
Haryana, which reported a substantial reduction in such incidents in 2017(25) compared to 2016 (250), saw an increase in such cases in 2018 (45 incidents). The number of incidents recorded also increased in the case of Maharashtra from 71 in 2017 to 94 in 2018, which also happens to be the second-highest in the country. It replaces Karnataka at second position, where the number of cases reduced to 29 in 2018.
Telanganawhich reported an increase in the number of cases in 2017  (39 cases) compared to the zero cases theearlier year, reported only 4 instances of communal riots in 2018. Number ofcases in Odisha also witnessed a sharp fall with 9 cases in 2018, compared tothat of 91 cases in 2017. Surprisingly, Uttar Pradesh hasn’t reported a singleincident related to communal/religious riots for the year 2018.
Fewer number of cases recorded in Cities for the year 2018
Since2016, the NCRB  Report provides datarelating to various crimes across 19 cities in India whose population is morethan 2 million (i.e. 20 lakhs). Prior to that, the data for a larger group of53 cities was provided in the NCRB report.
Forthe year
2018, 20 incidents of communal/religious riots wererecorded across the 19 cities. Whereas in the year 2017, 37 such incidents wererecorded.  During this period (2014 to2018), the highest number of such incidents was reported in 2014, when 40 suchincidents were reported from these 19 cities.
A major portion of the cases recorded in 2018 was in Kanpur with 11 cases. Even in 2017, Kanpur recorded a higher number of cases (11 cases) along with Pune which also reported 11 cases.
Specific
reason for a large number of riots is not known
In
2018, there were more than 57 thousand cases of riots acrossthe country as reported by NCRB, of which the 512 cases of Communal/Religiousriots constitute less than 1% of the total.
Same was the situation in earlier years, wherein the incidents of Communal/Religious riots formed a minute part of the total cases booked under riots. The other reasons for rioting include – Sectarian, Industrial, Political, Caste Conflict, Family disputes, Rivalry, Water disputes, Land etc. Of these, a major chunk of the cases is recorded under Land Disputes.
In 2018, more than 12 thousand cases of riots are booked under the head ‘Land Disputes’. With the rest of the heads accounting between 1-2% each at best. However, the highest portion of the riot cases is categorized as ‘Other Rioting’ where specific reasons are not known. In 2018 alone, around 24 thousand cases i.e. 42% of the riot cases are reported in this category.
Priorto 2017, more than 90% of the total riot cases were reported in NCRB data as ‘OtherRioting’. The share of this category has now reduced after new categoriesincluding ‘land disputes’ were introduced in 2017.
Since a major portion of these incidents is categorized under  ‘Other rioting’, specific details about these incidents are not known and it is possible that communal riot incidents may also be included in this category by the state police. Furthermore, there are riots recorded under – ‘sectarian’, ‘Caste conflicts’, ‘Vigilant’ etc. which could also be related to communal/religious riots.
Is
the data reliable?
Uttar Pradesh reported ‘zero’ such incidents in 2018. However, the violence that broke out in Kasganj in January 2018 was a result of communal clashes. The UP Police lodged 5 FIRs under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). FIRs included Section 295 of the IPC which is about ‘injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion’.
#Kasganj update~ As per report from distt Admin.
1~Total 5 FIR's have been lodged.
2~In the act of violence Abhishek @ chandan gupta (20yrs) has lost his life.
3~Total 112 people arrested ( 31 named & 81 preventive )
4~Sec144 crpc imposed
5~Situation normal
6~Strict action pic.twitter.com/UFTj5aoUPP
However, as
per the UP DGP, this was not an incident of communal violence, but agroup clash and may have been reported as an offence related to religion. UPreported 192
offences relating to religion in 2018.
Suchtechnical categorization of cases without the underlying context defeats the entirepurpose of understanding specific types of offences.
Data
relating to communal/religious riots not available with MHA for 2018
An earlier story of Factly analysed the variance between the data provided in the NCRB report and the data with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), provided in response to the Lok Sabha questions. The data did not match even for a single year.
Inconsistencyin the methodology of collating the data i.e. NCRB numbers being based on theFIRs filed, categorization of the crime, principle offence rule etc. are someof the reasons offered by the government for the difference in the numbers.
TheMHA has in response to various questions in parliament has provided informationregarding the communal/religious riots till the year 2017. On 11
December 2018, the MHA provided data for 2014 to 2017.
Strangely enough, responding to a question in Lok Sabha on 19 November 2019, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, stated that the responsibility of maintaining the data rests with respective State governments and did not provide any numbers. It is intriguing to note that the MHA which provided this data till 2017 is now saying that the responsibility lies with the state governments.
Although, the respective state governments have the primary responsibility of collecting and maintaining the data since law & order is a state subject, the MHA been collating the information and furnishing the same until 2017 as is evident from the information provided in Lok Sabha. However, for reasons not known, the MHA is not disclosing this data for 2018.
Factlyhas written to Ministry of Home Affairs seeking clarification on this changeand this article will be updated as and when a response is received.

created: February 21, 2020


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MSMEs – the largest employers in the country face a threat from Chinese Imports
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 31, 2015
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are by far the largest employers in the country, employing more than 11 crore people. While MSMEs have been growing at a consistent rate contributing significantly to India’s GDP & exports, they face a threat from cheap Chinese imports.
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) are by far the biggest employers in the country today. According to the latest annual report (2014-15) of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, there are an estimated 4.9 crore MSMEs employing more than 11 crore people.
MSMEs – Number & Employment
According to the ministry’s annual report, the number of MSMEs and the employment generated by them have been increasing consistently. The number of MSMEs has increased by about 20% to 4.88 crore in 2013-14 from 4.11 crore in 2009-10. The employment generated by the MSMEs has also grown on similar lines to 11.14 crore in 2013-14 from 9.22 crore in 2009-10, representing a 21% increase.
The average number of employees per establishment hasn’t changed much in the five years from 2009-10 to 2013-14. It has remained more or less constant, at around 2.3 employees per establishment. While this may not very high, a large number of these enterprises are one man establishments.
Spread in the States
As expected, the top 10 in terms of the number of MSMEs is dominated by the larger states with Uttar Pradesh at the top with 44.1 lakh MSMEs. West Bengal has about 36.7 lakh followed by Tamilnadu (33.1 lakh), Maharashtra (30.7 lakh), Andhra Pradesh (25.9 lakh) in the top five. The other states in the top 10 are Kerala, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan. The only notable exception in this list is Bihar.
According to the fourth All India Census of MSMEs, more than 92% of the enterprises are in the unregistered sector and these account for more than 81% of the employment. Less than 8% of the enterprises are in the registered sector accounting for more than 18% of the employment.
Share in GDP & Exports
The contribution of MSMEs to both the GDP & Exports is significant. According to the Ministry of MSME, the estimated contribution of the MSME sector to the GDP has been consistently more than 35% from 2009-10 to 2012-13. While it was 36% in 2009-10, it has grown to 37.5% in 2012-13.
Based on the export data maintained by Director General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics, Ministry of Commerce, the share of MSMEs in India’s total export has been more than 40% in the last 3 years. From 43% in 2012-13, it has grown to 44.7% in 2014-15. MSMEs contribute  nearly half of India’s exports.
The Chinese Import Threat
India’s trade deficit with China has been on the rise on account of decreasing exports and increasing imports. The trade deficit in 2014-15 has gone up to 48474 million USD. Indian MSMEs also face tough competition from cheap Chinese products as is evident in high growth of India’s imports from China.
As per information compiled by Director General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics, about 12 major product groups, largely manufactured by MSMEs in India, imports from China grew at a higher rate than their respective imports from all Countries combined during 2011-12 to 2014-15. These 12 product groups accounted for 74% of India’s total imports from China in 2014-15 and a significant proportion of Indian MSMEs seem to be adversely affected from Chinese imports.
These 12 product groups pertain to Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical and Metallurgical products on the one hand and Chemical, Glass & Ceramics based products on the other.
The government on its part has been imposing anti-dumping duties, permitted under the WTO, for restricting imports when such imports have been established as unfairly affecting the market for goods and services produced by Indian industries. As per the data available with Directorate General of Anti Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), about 1/4 (25%) of all the cases initiated since 1994 are against China. Till June 2014, a total of 166 such cases of anti dumping duty have been initiated against China and duty has been imposed in 134 such cases.
With regards to taking any strict action, India seems to be bound by WTO framework. While India has initiated certain actions like mandating BIS certification for certain products & prohibiting import of mobiles without an IMEI number etc, a lot more needs to be done if this threat has to be countered. There has to be greater focus on export oriented sectors.
Featured Image is for representation purpose only from the source TheHindu.com

created: October 31, 2015


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Microwave ovens do not make the food ‘radioactive’. Japan’s government is not disposing of them - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 21, 2020
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the Japanese government has decided to dispose of all the microwave ovens in their country by this year-end. There is also another claim that food heated in a microwave oven has radiation.  Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
The Japan government has decided to dispose of all microwave ovens by this year-end.
Fact: No such decision was taken by the Japan government. The news was first published by a satirical Russian website. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched on Google whether the Japanese government has taken such a decision, it was found that no credible news agency has reported about any such decision and the news was first published by a Russian website [‘panorama’] in March-2019. On the website, in the ‘Disclaimer’, it can be read that all the articles on the website are satirical and fictitious. So, the Japanese government has not decided to ban or dispose of microwave ovens. Previously, the same claim has also been debunked by Snopes.
Microwave oven makes the food radioactive.
Fact: According to WHO, the food cooked in a microwave oven does not become ‘radioactive’. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On the WHO website, it can be read that ‘food cooked in a microwave oven does not become “radioactive”.’ Even in the article by US Food and Drug Administration on the ‘Microwave Oven Radiation’, it can be read that ‘the microwave energy is changed to heat as it is absorbed by food, and does not make food “radioactive” or “contaminated”.’
Other myths and realities regarding microwave ovens can be seen on the websites of ‘Yashoda Hospitals’ and ‘Harvard Medical School’.
There are also some other recommendations, in the post, allegedly recommended in a conference held at ‘Kashira Cancer Center’. But, when searched on Google, there is no information regarding the existence of ‘Kashira Cancer Center’.
To sum it up, Japan’s government is not disposing of microwave ovens. Microwave ovens do not make the food ‘radioactive’
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created: January 21, 2020


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Mid-Day Meal Scheme: An overview of enrolment under the scheme and fund utilisation
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 16, 2021
Data from the Mid-Day meal scheme for the last few years indicates that while the enrolment of children under the scheme increased till 2017-18, it has decreased in the last two years. The data also indicates that funds were not utilized fully in many states in 2018-19. Here is a review.
The National Programme of Mid-Day Meals (MDM) in School scheme is the Government of India’s (GoI) flagship school-based feeding programme. In this story, we look at the trends of enrolment under the scheme and overall fund utilisation by different states over the past few years. We will also look at the provisions provided under the scheme during the period of lockdown.
The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid-Day Meal Scheme) was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme on 15 August 1995. The scheme was intended to boost universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance simultaneously impacting the nutrition levels of children. The programme initially focussed on children at the primary stage (class I to V) in government, local body and government-aided schools. In October 2002, it was extended to cover children studying in the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative and Innovative Education (AIE) Centres (now know n as Special Training Centres).
In December 2004, the Ministry of Human Resource Development issued revised guidelines for the Scheme. These guidelines laid emphasis on providing cooked meals with a minimum of 300 calories and 8-12 grams of protein content. There was a special focus on the enrolment, attendance, and retention of children belonging to disadvantaged sections. Nutritional support to students at the primary stage was also to be provided during summer vacations in drought-affected areas. Assistance for management, monitoring, and evaluation was also envisaged.
In 2008-09, the scheme was extended to children studying in upper primary classes. It was further extended in April 2008 to recognised Madarsas/Maktabs supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
The Programme Approval Board (PAB) approves the number of students to be provided benefit under the MDM scheme every year based on state proposals.
Challenges faced in effective implementation
Despite the existence of the MDM scheme over two decades and initiatives of the government in making several improvements in the contents of the scheme over the years, the actual implementation of the scheme suffers from various shortcomings and lapses across the board, as the CAG’s Performance Audit of Mid-Day Meal Scheme (Report no.36 of 2015) highlights. The report contains significant results of the performance audit on the implementation of the MDM Scheme in 27 states (except Mizoram) and seven UTs, where the scheme was under operation.
The performance audit of the scheme raised many red flags such as over-reporting of enrolment figures, cases of leakages, financial indiscipline, poor quality of meals and inadequate monitoring etc., which still persist.
Children covered under Mid-Day Meal scheme
The scheme was extended to cover all government, local body, government-aided primary and upper primary schools, and the Education Guarantee Scheme/Alternate Inclusive Education centres, including Madarsas and Maqtabs across the country. For the purpose of understanding the trends of enrolment under the scheme and fund utilisation, we have collated data furnished in various Lok Sabha answers.
The chart below gives a snapshot of the number of children covered under the scheme in different States/UTs over a span of 6 years.
Fund Utilised under Mid-Day Meal Scheme
To understand the utilisation of funds under the scheme, we look at the number of funds released/sanctioned vis-à-vis the expenditure under the scheme. A State/UT-wise snapshot of the percentage of funds utilised under the scheme over the past few years is presented below. The utilization in a particular year could be more than 100% since the unspent balance from the previous financial year is spent in that financial year.
Mid-Day Meal Scheme during Lockdown
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the State Government and UT Administrations were to provide Food Security Allowance (FSA) comprising of food grains, pulses, oil, etc (equivalent to cooking cost) to all eligible children till such time their schools are closed due to aforesaid pandemic. The ad-hoc grant released, and food grains already allocated for the MDM scheme were to be utilized for this purpose.
An answer from the Lok Sabha, from September 2020, highlighted the State-wise number of children provided Food Security Allowance (FSA) during March-August 2020.
If we compare these figures with the number of children enrolled under the scheme in 2019-20, we can observe the following:
Featured Image: Mid-Day Meal Scheme

created: February 16, 2021


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Migrant workers protest video from Hyderabad shared as that from Ahmedabad - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 11, 2020
A video is being shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows people of Ahmedabad coming onto the streets due to lack of rations. But FACTLY has found the video to be related to Hyderabad. The video was shot at Tolichowki (Hyderabad) when migrant workers stuck in Telangana, due to lockdown, have come onto the streets asking the State government to send them to their native places. Earlier, when the same video got viral with a different claim, FACTLY has written a fact-check article, which can be read here.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. News article – https://newsable.asianetnews.com/video/india/lockdown-migrant-workers-stage-protest-in-hyderabad-demanding-they-be-sent-back-home-q9sm7o
2. FACTLY fact-check article – https://factly.in/migrant-workers-protest-video-from-tolichowki-is-shared-as-that-from-old-city/
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Migrant workers protest video from Tolichowki is shared as that from Old City - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 4, 2020
A video is shared on social media claiming it represents the situation in the Old City (Hyderabad) where people are violating the lockdown conditions. Let’s fact-check the claims being made.
Video of people violating lockdown conditions in Old city (Hyderabad).
Fact: The video is captured when migrant workers stuck in Telangana due to lockdown came onto the streets in Tolichowki asking the government to send them to their native places. Hence, the claim that the video is from Old City isFALSE.
When searched on the internet about people gathering during the lockdown in Hyderabad, it was found that the incident took place in  Tolichowki. Also, by using Google maps it can be noticed that some of the shops seen in the video are in Tolichowki.
The video shows migrant workers who have been stuck in Telangana due to the lockdown marching on the streets at Toli Chowki in Hyderabad on 03 May 2020, demanding that they be sent back to their native places. News reports about these protests can be read here and here. The statement of the police regarding the incident can be watched here.
To sum it up, video of migrant workers marching on the streets at Toli Chowki in Hyderabad, demanding that they be sent back to their native places is shared as that from Old City
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Military drill video from Turkey is being falsely shared as 'Pak army’s firing on India at the LoC'. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 8, 2019
A video is being shared on Facebook with a claim that it shows Pakistan army firing on India at the Line of Control (LoC). Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Video shows Pakistan army firing on India at the LoC
Fact: The video was taken during the EFES-2018 Military Exercise, which was held in Turkey. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, a lot of similar videos were found in the search results. One of those videos had the description that it was taken at the EFES-2018 Military Exercise. So, when searched with the keywords ‘EFES 2018 exercise’, an article by ‘Yeni Safak’ with the title – ‘Turkey launches EFES 2018 military drills’ can be found in the search results. In the article, the same video can be found with the description – ‘Footage shows domestically-produced Turkish ATAK helicopters perfectly striking targets during the EFES 2018 military drill’.
Also, similar footage from another angle can be found in a video uploaded by Turkish Armed Forces with the title – ‘EFES 2018 Tatbikat Görüntüleri’ on their YouTube channel.
To sum it up, a military drill video from Turkey is falsely shared as “Pak army’s firing on India at the LoC”
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created: November 8, 2019


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Has India achieved the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)? - Factly
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 28, 2015
The UN General Assembly adopted a new set of 17 sustainable development goals, to be achieved by 2030. These goals replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in the year 2000. Has India achieved the MDGs? What is the progress on the MDGs?
There was considerable excitement last week when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the new set of 17 goals for sustainable development.  These goals replace the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) adopted by the UN in 2000. These MDGs are to end in 2015. The new sets of SDGs are to be achieved by the year 2030. The following are the 17 SDGs
What about the MDGs?
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have helped in bringing out a much needed focus and pressure on basic development issues, which in turn led the governments at national and regional levels to do better planning and implement more intensive policies and programmes. The MDGs originated from the Millennium Declaration adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2000. The MDGs consists of eight goals, and these eight goals address myriad development issues. The eight (8) Goals are
Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women
Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB
Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Goal 8: Develop Global Partnership for Development
Eighteen (18) targets were set as quantitative benchmarks for attaining the goals. . The United Nations Development Group (UNDG) in 2003 provided a framework of 53 indicators which are categorized according to targets, for measuring the progress towards individual targets. A revised indicator-framework drawn up by the Inter-Agency and Expert Group (IAEG) on MDGs came into effect in 2008. This framework had 8 Goals, 21 targets and 60 indicators. India has not endorsed this revised framework.
India’s MDG framework is based on the 2003 framework and includes 8 goals, 12 of the 18 targets relevant to India and 35 indicators. The Ministry of Statistics & Program Implementation (MoSPI) released the India Country report of the MDGs in February 2015. The report provides insights into the progress made on these eight goals.
Where does India stand in achieving the MDG targets?

created: September 28, 2015


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Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not given permission to States to open Schools - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 28, 2020
A purported screenshot of a news channel claiming that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given permission to States to open schools is being shared widely on social media. But FACTLY has found that MHA has not granted permission to States to open schools. No such order was found on the MHA website. On 17 May 2020, an order was issued extending the lockdown throughout the country till 31 May 2020. In the order, it can be read that ‘Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions, etc. will remain closed. Online/distance learning shall be encouraged’. No amendment with regards to educational institutions was made in the further orders, till today (i.e. 28 May 2020), except that an exception was made from the existing lockdown measures to conduct Class 10 and 12 Board examinations.
Also, both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Press Information Bureau have clarified that no such decision has been taken by MHA, and all educational institutions are still prohibited to open, throughout the country.
While the telecast video of the news on the ‘India न्यूज़’ channel was not found, a tweet with the same text was found to be tweeted by ‘India News UP/UK’ on 20 May 2020.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. MHA Spokesperson tweet – https://twitter.com/PIBHomeAffairs/status/1265331467615420423
2. PIB Facebook post – https://www.facebook.com/103560537843715/posts/161138172085951
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Ministry of Road Transport and Highways proposed Taxi Guidelines with unscientific testing
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 25, 2017
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) recently released the new Taxi guidelines for Urban Mobility. Documents obtained using RTI indicate that the guidelines were based on unscientific testing.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in a recent consultation for Taxi policy guidelines has invited comments from taxi operators including Association of Radio Taxis, Ola and Uber. MoRTH has taken submissions from these market players who have recommended a shift towards GPS based distance measurement using smartphone for fare calculation and making physical meters optional. Factly has obtained these submissions & report of an earlier committee constituted to evaluate the feasibility and measurement accuracy of using GPS using the RTI.
Committee concludes that error rates could be between 5-10%
The TED 28 committee constituted to evaluate the feasibility and measurement accuracy of using GPS has concluded the error rates can be minimal between 5-10% based on unscientific measurement testing. The committee has conducted a field trial to measure and compare distances measured using GPS and car odometer to compute the magnitude of errors. Five transport companies M/S Uber, M/S Ola, M/S Binary Semantics, M/S QuickRyde, M/S Tranxit Mobility Logistics Pvt. Ltd demonstrated their GPS based measurement applications using five trial trips in Delhi. The data from these trips shows varying error rates across these transport companies with some reporting an absolute error greater than 40% on various smartphones. The test cases are biased as each company used a different smartphones making it scientifically wrong to compare the results.
The accuracy of the GPS based measurement
The accuracy of GPS based measurement using smartphones depends on several factors, one of the important ones is the quality of the GPS sensor used in the smartphones. Cheap Chinese smartphones could give you a lower precision compared to a costly American counterpart. Apart from the sensor the operating system(OS) running in these phones could be different and thus amounts to further variation across different OS versions with the same phones. GPS data is not going to be accurate without errors and thus the distance measurement falls down to the algorithm being used by each company to measure this distance. With so many varying factors, the trials performed by MoRTH committee is unscientific to accept these trials as proof to conclude GPS based measurements can be used for fare calculation.
While the panel still feels more comprehensive trails need to be carried out to draw better inferences, the panel still explicitly notes that +/- 5% error rates are possible and gave recommendations on their usage to the ministry. The ministry appointed panel has clearly erred by inferring wrong conclusions based on these preliminary trials and hence the recommendations should be re-evaluated. The urban transport taxi guidelines issued later based on these recommendations suggest an audit by Standardisation Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) for a one time only test of the fare calculation algorithm.  Algorithms for calculating fares have been changed a lot of times since the entry of aggregator services, this one time only audit is not a valid argument and definitely undermines consumer protection.
What about Data Privacy?
The guidelines issued by MoRTH also talk about the need for aggregators to explicitly ask consumer permission whether their trips data should be stored by aggregator or not. Aggregators not only record data of consumer trip through driver application but also continuously monitor consumer’s location. The infamous uber’s rides of glory blog post talks about how dangerous this data can be for people to access and spy on someone’s life. At the end of all of this, whether it is fare or private data, it’s algorithms which are dictating the terms for consumers without any protection from the state. A recent study conducted by Centre for Internet and Society on “Big Data Governance in India” looks into the benefits and harms of Intelligent Transportation Systems cautioning of the potential privacy issues. Privacy has become a larger issue in India with the rise of digital services and government needs to act on this further. The ministry has not taken any inputs from general public other public research institutions on this matter for the consultation and leaves the consumers at the mercy of these companies and state governments who are not known for enforcing the rule of law.
It would be a mistake to assume it’s only private players which are collecting this data or using biased and predatory fares through algorithms. Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System Ltd. (DIMTS), a public private partnership of Delhi government made GPS and panic button mandatory in fare meters of every auto rickshaw post the Nirbhaya incident. DIMTS has the data of every auto rickshaw, black taxis in Delhi and has signed a contract with MoRTH to install CCTV cameras, GPS systems, panic buttons across all transport vehicles in the country. Commuters need privacy and protection from discriminatory practices from government institutions itself. Hence the need for an independent autonomous institution to monitor these violations and set various frameworks for the industry.
When Uber, Ola started services in India, they were not recognized under the laws of the country and have always been operating under grey areas of the law. Ignoring the question of whether they are easy to use for citizens, good for cities to reduce traffic, the rule of law is paramount. Uber has always violated several of these rules including consumer and employee rights in the name of disruption. Disruption of the laws is illegal whether it is businesses or individuals. One needs to be cognizant of the fact that laws need reforms and not disruption. These strategies of disruption ignoring the laws by startups and venture capitalists is a serious issue that needs to be looked into. It’s about time the government looks into these issues as a whole and not venture into each sub sector of transport with new rules conflicting itself at various stages.

created: February 25, 2017


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Ministry of Tourism hasn’t issued any order for the closure of Hotels, Restaurants, and Resorts in the country till 15 October 2020. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 8, 2020
A circular purportedly issued by the Ministry of Tourism ordering the closure of Hotels, Restaurants, and Resorts in the country till 15 October 2020 due to the outbreak of Coronavirus is making rounds on social media. FACTLY has found that the message is fake. The Ministry of Tourism has clarified that it hasn’t issued any such order and asked people to refrain from forwarding the fake message. Press Information Bureau (PIB) has also debunked the claim and said that the order is fake.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact – https://twitter.com/tourismgoi/status/1247761472018509830
https://www.facebook.com/pibfactcheck/photos/a.103726557827113/145969160269519/?type=3&theater
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Misleading Claims about 2018 Telangana Congress Manifesto Go Viral as Recent - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 5, 2023
A post is being shared on social media claiming that the Congress Party released a new election manifesto announcing several schemes specifically for the welfare of Muslims and Christians in poll-bound Telangana. The post asserts that the recently unveiled manifesto of the Telangana Congress party for the 2023 assembly elections includes various schemes exclusively aimed at the Muslim community. The schemes comprise offering free electricity to mosques, ensuring government contracts for Muslims, pledging financial aid of Rs. 20 lakhs to underprivileged Muslim students, establishing a Muslim IT corridor, facilitating loans for Muslims at a 4% interest rate, and ensuring residential facilities for Muslims. Let’s verify the claims made in the post.
Claim: Congress Party’s new election manifesto for 2023 announces different schemes specifically for the welfare of Muslims in poll-bound Telangana.
Fact: The Telangana Congress Party has not released their manifesto for the upcoming Telangana Assembly Elections 2023. The post refers to an old news report published by ‘Times Now’ regarding the manifesto released by the Congress party in the wake of the 2018 Telangana Assembly elections. In the 2018 election manifesto, Telangana Congress promised to provide free electricity to all religious places of worship including Hindu temples, Churches and Mosques. Telangana Congress announced financial assistance to poor Muslim students as well as for economically backward students from other religious communities in their 2018 Telangana Election manifesto. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When we searched with relevant keywords, we found that the claims made in the post referred to an old news report published by ‘Times Now’ regarding the manifesto released by the Congress party in the wake of the 2018 Telangana Assembly elections. In the news report, ‘Times Now’ stated that the Congress party has introduced seven schemes specifically for Muslims to attract 90 percent of Muslim votes in Telangana.  The manifesto released by the Telangana Congress Party for the 2018 Telangana Assembly Elections can be seen here. Let’s check the veracity of each claim made in the post, which was referred to in the Times Now news report in 2018.
Claim 1: Free Electricity to Muslims and Churches
The Telangana Congress Party, in their 2018 Telangana Election manifesto, promised that they will provide free power supply to all temples, mosques, churches, and other places of worship. Congress promised that they would release funds for the repairs of temples, mosques, and churches by introducing a proper system if they won the 2018 Telangana Assembly Elections. Congress did not make this promise specifically for Mosques and Churches in Telangana.
Claim 2: Every government contract will be given to Muslim youth in Telangana
The Telangana Congress Party, under the Muslim Minorities Finance Corporation in the 2018 election manifesto, assured Muslim minority youth will be given opportunities to get government contracts as part of providing them employment. However, the Telangana Congress, in the same 2018 Telangana Election manifesto, promised to provide 50% of works in all government contracts for youth, belonging to SC and ST communities, who participated in the Telangana movement. Telangana Congress has nowhere mentioned in its manifesto that all government contracts will be given to Muslim youth.
Claim 3: Financial assistance of 20 lakhs to poor Muslim students
Telangana Congress Party in their 2018 election manifesto stated-“Poor minority students will be given Rs. 20 lakh assistance for overseas education.” However, for poor minority students and eligible economically backward class (EBC) students, Congress announced Rs. 25 Lakhs scholarships for overseas studies.  These scholarships are not specifically provided for Muslim students in Telangana.
Claims 4 & 5 & 6: Establishing Muslim IT Corridor, providing Muslims loans at a 4% interest rate and housing facilities for Muslims
The Telangana Congress Party in their 2018 election manifesto did not specify anything about establishing a Muslim IT corridor in the state. In the 2018 Telangana Election Manifesto, the Congress Party promised that minority community youth, both skilled and unskilled, would be provided loans up to Rs. 5 Lakhs with an 80% subsidy. They also promised that they would provide Rs. 5 Lakh financial assistance for eligible minorities for the construction of their own house.
The Congress Party did not release any latest manifesto for the upcoming 2023 assembly elections in Telangana. Elaborating on the framing of the Congress manifesto for the upcoming Telangana elections, the Congress’s manifesto committee chairman Sridhar Babu said– “The manifesto will reflect the inclusive Telangana and elements of the ‘Social Telangana’. The social justice endeavour will play a key role and the manifesto will be comprehensive. Primarily, the manifesto will reflect Telangana as an ideal state and the common Congress ideology is of ensuring social justice to one and all.”
Addressing a rally in Hyderabad’s Tukkuguda in September 2023, Sonia Gandhi announced six guarantees, including financial assistance for women and gas cylinders at ₹500, Rythu Bharosa, Gruha Jyothi, Indiramma Indlu, Yuva Vikasam and Cheyutha. Congress leaders did not announce any of the schemes mentioned in the post during the rally.
To sum it up, Congress did not unveil any new manifesto announcing specific schemes for Muslims for the upcoming 2023 Telangana Assembly Elections.

created: October 5, 2023