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938	Fact-check: Had Rakesh Tikait welcomed farm bills when they were introduced? - Alt News Kinjal 3rd February 2021 / 1:23 pm A newspaper clipping with the headline “Farmers’ age-old demand fulfilled: Rakesh Tikait” has been making the rounds on social media. Twitter user @brijeshchaodhry shared the clipping and wrote, “Don’t know when these naive people will understand what’s really going on. When the government enacted the new farm laws, Rakesh Tikait welcomed the move, saying that the government has fulfilled the farmers’ age-old demands. After a few days, he was given a suitcase full of money and changed his tone.” The post was retweeted by more than 300 users at the time of writing. (Archive link) न जाने कब भोले-भाले लोग इस धूर्त को समझेंगे जब सरकार ने नए किसान कानून बनाए तक इस राकेश टिकैत ने उसका स्वागत किया और कहा कि सरकार ने हम किसानों की वर्षों पुरानी मांग पूरी की है कुछ दिनों बाद इसे मोटे-मोटे सूटकेस मिले उसके बाद यह दोगला बदल गया@RakeshTikaitBKU @sambitswaraj pic.twitter.com/aBk3X19w2h — तैमूर का जीजा 💪🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@brijeshchaodhry) January 29, 2021 Twitter user Akash RSS also shared the image. He has been caught spreading misinformation on social media many times in the past, which you can read about here. (Archive link) न जाने कब भोले-भाले लोग इस धूर्त को समझेंगे जब सरकार ने नए किसान कानून बनाए तक इस राकेश टिकैत ने उसका स्वागत किया और कहा कि सरकार ने हम किसानों की वर्षों पुरानी मांग पूरी की है कुछ दिनों बाद इसे मोटे-मोटे सूटकेस मिले उसके बाद यह दोगला बदल गया pic.twitter.com/FamBjU2brv — Akash RSS (@Satynistha) January 30, 2021 Users are circulating the clip widely across Facebook and Twitter. Alt News performed a keyword search which led us to a report by Live Hindustan dated June 4, 2020. The title of this report and the headline in the viral image are identical. The article says, “The government has allowed farmers to sell their produce anywhere, giving the gift of ‘one country one market’ to 14 crore farmers in India. The cabinet has approved it through an ordinance. BKU national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait welcomed the government’s move, adding that this had been a BKU demand for many years.” “He also urged the government to watch out for instances where middlemen, in place of farmers, were buying their crops at cheaper rates to sell them in other states. He demanded the central government implement another law so that the produce of the farmers could not be sold at a price lower than the MSP anywhere in the country.” In addition, Asianet News Hindi also published a report that included the viral Live Hindustan clipping. Rakesh Tikait clarified about the Hindustan report in an interview with Aaj Tak on January 12, 2020. At the 20:30 mark, he says, “The support you mentioned is from Hindustan paper. I had said that I should also be able to thank the government. Digital India campaign is the Prime Minister’s pilot project, he should bring these services to us. It takes two years to be compensated for our sugarcane crop. Please pay us for our sugarcane. The crops falling under the MSP should also be added. Then, we will also thank the Prime Minister, we will also thank the government. If you read the whole thing [Hindustan report], it will make sense. Everyone has the same document in front of them, it is not that the government is not doing any work, and all the farmers are doing is fighting. Give us something to thank the government for as well. Please repeal a few specific clauses of the laws and we will thank you again.” Tikait had given similar statements in December 2020 during an Aaj Tak debate show. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg2WavsZov4] The new farm bills were tabled in Parliament on June 5, 2020. They were introduced in the Lok Sabha on September 14, 2020. After being passed in the lower house, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent on September 27, 2020. What was Rakesh Tikait’s opinion on the three bills before they were introduced in the cabinet? We examined his social media handles to gauge this. Tikait had posted a newspaper clipping on June 3, 2020, on the increase in MSP rates. Here, he said that farmers were being cheated in the name of the increase in MSP. Amar Ujala published a similar story on June 2, 2020. According to this article, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) had demanded that the government enact a law to make MSP mandatory. The BKU also issued a blog post on this. #TodayNewsUpdate Posted by Chaudhary Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday, June 2, 2020 Apart from this, BKU Twitter handle shared a Newsclick article on June 5, 2020, where BKU leader Dharmendra Malik was quoted as saying, “In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the government is fulfilling its hidden agenda. The decisions the government is taking for farmers at this time seem to be for the private sector’s benefit. The government is not worried about farmers. They are also taking such decisions because they know that farmers cannot agitate at this time.” ‘एक देश, एक कृषि बाज़ार’ जैसे कैबिनेट के फैसलों से किसानों का कितना भला? \| https://t.co/7QUVfAfywt भारतीय किसान यूनियन के नेता धर्मेंद्र मलिक कहते हैं, कोरोना संकट के दौर में सरकार अपने हिडेन एजेंडे को पूरा कर रही है। इस समय किसानों को लेकर जो…..! @RakeshTikaitBKU @Dmalikbku — Bhartiya kisan Union (@OfficialBKU) June 5, 2020 Therefore, Rakesh Tikait himself refuted the report by Live Hindustan and clarified the reservations he shared with regard to the farm bills during two separate Aaj Tak debates. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd February 2021 / 1:23 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-rakesh-tikait-supported-agriculture-law-six-months-ago/", "author": "Kinjal" }
939	Fact-check: Did Ravish Kumar's reportage on Pragya Thakur exhibit religious bias? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 20th April 2019 / 8:16 pm / Last updated: 21st April 2019 Two separate broadcasts by senior journalist Ravish Kumar have been juxtaposed together and circulated on social media. The two videos played in quick succession attempt to portray the journalist as sympathising with a Muslim but not echoing the same treatment for a Hindu. In the first clip, Kumar can be heard saying, “Pragya Thakur is going to be named BJP’s candidate from Bhopal…she is an accused and is facing charges of terrorism, but the BJP doesn’t seem to care…” Immediately after this video, a separate broadcast is played where Kumar says, “You can see two photographs on the screen. The first one is of a youngster who was 20 years of age in 1994. The other photograph was taken recently on May 31, 2016, and his age now is 43. Between these images, this individual has spent 8125 days in jail. After 23 years of incarceration, the day when the supreme court said that the statements on the basis of which Nasir was sentenced to life imprisonment did not stand up against the scrutiny of facts, Nasir wasn’t as happy as he should’ve been. He felt like a living corpse…” The broadcast about Pragya Thakur is played first and is placed on the left with a label that says – “When the accused is Hindu”. On the second broadcast, where Kumar talks about Nasir, another label reads – “When the accused is Muslim”. The video is captioned – “Journalism Level – Ravish Kumar”. Posted by a page called ‘India Against Urban Naxals’, the video has nearly 1 lakh views This is Krantikari Reporter for you… Posted by India Against Urban Naxals on Thursday, 18 April 2019 The video has been circulated on Twitter as well. It received nearly a lakh views from the account BALA (@erbmjha). This is @ravishndtv for you. Who has sold his soul completely. pic.twitter.com/mF16fjtirH — Chowkidar BALA (@erbmjha) April 18, 2019 The creator of the video was a Facebook page named ‘Political Kida’. क्या रविश कुमार सच में निष्पक्ष पत्रकार हैं? जान ने के लिए इस वीडियो को जरूर देखें Posted by Political Kida on Thursday, 18 April 2019 ‘Political Kida’ is run by Ankur Singh (@iankursingh), who previously used to run the page ‘Nation Wants Namo’ that was removed by Facebook in its recent takedown of pages involved in “inauthentic behaviour”. ‘Political Kida’ is now promoted using the same phone number associated with ‘Nation Wants Namo.’ Ankur Singh has tweeted the phone number multiple times. In the video viral on social media, Kumar first talks about BJP Bhopal candidate ‘Sadhivi’ Pragya Thakur who is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts. In 2017, the NIA dropped charges against her under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Since the announcement of her candidature, social media has been brimming with the false claim that Thakur has been acquitted, however, this is far from the truth as she still faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and is currently out on bail on health grounds. The video of Kumar’s complete broadcast can be viewed here. The second broadcast pertains to Nisar-ud-din Ahmad, who was wrongfully convicted in Babri anniversary train blasts case and acquitted 23 years later by the supreme court. Kumar’s reportage was broadcast by NDTV on May 31, 2016. On January 25, 1994, a 20-year-old youth from Karnataka, Nisar-ud-din Ahmad was picked up from his home by the police. Ahmad spent the next 23 years of his life incarcerated until he was exonerated of all charges in May 2016. Ahmad was convicted by lower courts of plotting a series of blasts in five trains in the intervening nights of December 5-6, 1993 – on the first anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid. Nisar, his brother and a neighbour, were arrested by the Hyderabad police and the trio was subsequently booked for the blasts. “The only evidence police produced was their alleged custodial confessions — the provisions of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) were later invoked to make these admissible,” per a report by The Indian Express. In his alleged confession, the police claimed that Ahmad accepted his role in the terror attack. The case was subsequently transferred to the CBI and in 1996, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Sessions Judge revoked the provisions of TADA from the case. In 2001, the alleged confessions became inadmissible in court. Hyderabad trial court acquitted all the three accused in 2007, and the case was taken to the supreme court where the judges found that the alleged confessions were “without any legal sanction and cannot be relied upon”. According to the judgment, Ahmad’s “role is neither referred to in the confessions…nor is there any material other than the confession of (Ahmad) himself on record. The conviction and sentence of (Ahmad) is therefore completely unsustainable”. After hearing the case for 12 years, the apex court acquitted Ahmad and three others accused in the case in 2016, but the conviction of 10 others was upheld by the SC. Nisar-ud-din Ahmad spent 23 years in jail after being wrongfully convicted of a crime. BJP Bhopal candidate, Pragya Thakur, on the other hand, is still facing charges under the UAPA and is currently out on bail. Two different broadcasts of two different cases were played sans context to falsely portray religious bias in Ravish Kumar’s journalism. “Such propaganda is made viral in my name every second day. Looking at these videos, it seems that the person who made it must have spent quite some time watching multiple broadcasts anchored by me. However, despite the effort, they were unable to make a solid case against me. The ones who made the video must be aware that they are creating a fictitious tale to support Narendra Modi. I am concerned about these youngsters who step out of their homes every day thinking they are serving the nation by working for the BJP. But what they do at their jobs is create lies about me. They are serving the IT cell now but I have hope that these same youngsters will one day expose the IT cell when they will be replaced by a more competent stooge and the only thing left at their disposal will be the truth,” said Ravish Kumar, speaking to Alt News. UPDATE: The article earlier quoted that the video posted by erbmjha had 10 lakhs view. The article has been updated with the correct figure. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	20th April 2019 / 8:16 pm / Last updated: 21st April 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-ravish-kumars-reportage-on-pragya-thakur-exhibit-religious-bias/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
940	Fact-check: Did Reliance pass off liquid oxygen imported from Saudi Arabia as its own? - Alt News Archit 12th May 2021 / 1:24 am / Last updated: 12th May 2021 A video from Delhi where two men riding a motorcycle parallel to a Reliance oxygen tanker claim that the company is passing off oxygen supplied by Saudi Arabia as its own, has been widely shared on social media. The men point at Arabic text visible on the side of Reliance branding. विडियो हुआ वाइरल। अंबानी खानदानी चोर.. क्रेडिट लेने की जल्दबाज़ी में पोस्टर भी छोटा बनवा बैठे… 😜😝😛 Posted by Yusuf Jamal on Friday, 7 May 2021 Facebook user Matin Patel posted the video and wrote in Hindi, “Ambanis are thieves… in a rush to take credit, they’ve even made small posters.” This video gained over 2 lakh views. (Hindi text: अंबानी खानदानी चोर.. क्रेडिट लेने की जल्दबाज़ी में पोस्टर भी छोटा बनवा बैठे) Multiple Facebook and Twitter users have shared an image of the same tanker while highlighting the Arabic text. Below is Twitter user @tondupar’s post that drew over 1,200 retweets. Alt News has received multiple verification requests on our WhatsApp helpline number (+917600011160). Readers can also send queries on our mobile application. (Android, iOS) Alt News had recently debunked a 13-second clip of two men putting up Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Foundation sticker on an oxygen tanker. It was viral with the identical claim that Reliance is taking credit for oxygen supplied by Saudi Arabia. RIL spokesperson had told Alt News at the time, “RIL has organised the airlifting of 24 ISO (empty) containers to India from Saudi Arabia, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and Thailand adding 500 MT of new transportation capacity for liquid oxygen. Over the last week, they were delivered at Jamnagar refinery via Ahmedabad or Jamnagar airport.” The 24 ISO containers were empty and not shipped filled with liquid oxygen (O2). The oxygen inside these containers was filled at RIL’s Jamnagar refinery. This article is split into the following sections to get a better understanding of liquid O2 and the challenges faced by India in its transportation. WHAT IS LIQUID O2 AND HOW IS IT STORED? A document (view PDF) on safe handling of liquid oxygen by US-based Air Products and Chemicals states, “Liquid oxygen is a cryogenic liquid. Cryogenic liquids are liquefied gases that have a normal boiling point below –130°F (–90°C). Liquid oxygen has a boiling point of –297°F (–183°C).” Liquid oxygen is not flammable but can prove to be hazardous when in contact with certain materials, including non-combustible stainless steel, carbon, zinc, etc. It can even lead to explosions, according to Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. The same document also explains, “Liquid oxygen is stored, shipped, and handled in several types of containers, depending upon the quantity required by the user. The types of containers in use include the dewar, cryogenic liquid O2 cylinder and cryogenic liquid O2 storage tank. Storage quantities vary from a few litres to many thousands of gallons.” The tanker seen in the viral posts about Reliance is a cryogenic liquid O2 tanker. CAN LIQUID O2 BE SHIPPED VIA AIR? According to the International Air Transport Association/ International Civil Air Organization (IATA/ICAO), a portable oxygen concentrator is permitted as checked-in baggage or carry on baggage. The same is the case with O2 or air, gaseous, cylinders (up to 5 kgs) required for medical use however this needs approval from the airline operator and the pilot-in-command must be informed of the location. However, liquid O2 systems are forbidden for transport. (view pdf) Air India, IngiGo, SpiceJet are members of IATA. As per Special Medical Requirements by Air India, 13 to 24 bottles of O2 with 300 litres can be carried depending on the size of the airbus. This is just sufficient for the duration of the flight for multiple passengers. The second wave of the pandemic has taken a toll on medical infrastructure. There has been an acute shortage of oxygen in the country, especially because transporting O2 from manufacturing units to hospitals has been a challenge. Thus, as part of COVID-19 aid, several countries have supplied empty cryogenic liquid O2 tankers to India and this has also been extensively reported in the media. RIL spokesperson confirmed to Alt News that the cryogenic liquid O2 tanks shown on social media were shipped empty. While Alt News couldn’t independently verify this statement, not a single media report claims that cryogenic tanks filled with oxygen were shipped via airways. On the other hand, there are several reports of empty tankers received from other countries (1, 2, 3), and also airlifted domestically (1, 2, 3). Countries have supplied empty tankers which are subsequently filled in India. The only reported case of liquified oxygen sent to India from a foreign country was via the sea route. A partnership was struck between Saudi Arabia, Linde and Adani. The Indian Embassy had tweeted on April 24 that Saudi Arabia shipped cryogenic tanks filled with 80MT of O2. There has been another deal with Adani and Reliance however, this was after the video went viral. Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our hearfelt thanks to Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their help, support and cooperation.@MEAIndia @drausaf @SaudiMOH @HMOIndia pic.twitter.com/6j8NuGwtCB — India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) April 24, 2021 CNBC News18 aired a broadcast on April 23 addressing the challenges in the production and transportation of liquid oxygen in India. Tata Steel managing director TV Narendra explained, “(Cryogenic tanker) is a very technical product. It’s not to be handled casually so a lot of precautions need to be taken that’s why even converting an industrial gas cylinder into a cylinder that can carry liquid oxygen, there is a protocol. You can’t just use any cylinder or any tanker to take oxygen. So that’s why there is a bottleneck…The challenge is that you don’t even have enough containers to put on the railways. The bottleneck is currently the containers. Once you have more containers, you can exploit all these possibilities.” A recent PTI report quotes railway minister Piyush Goyal saying, “At present, sufficient stocks of oxygen is available in the country.” The report further states, “Goyal said a fast-track system has been put in place to import oxygen from wherever supply is available. He said the services of Railways and Air Force are being used for transportation of tankers to reduce the turnaround time. Since Air Force cannot transport filled tankers, airlifting of empty-tankers is being done to manufacturing sites so that travelling time of one side can be saved.” To sum it up, RIL and Reliance Foundation leveraged 24 empty cryogenic liquid oxygen tanks from various countries as a part of their effort to increase the capacity to transport oxygen in India. Several social media users have falsely alleged that RIL was taking credit for the oxygen given by Saudia Arabia but the tanks sent were empty and filled with liquid oxygen manufactured by RIL in Jamnagar. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	12th May 2021 / 1:24 am / Last updated: 12th May 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-reliance-pass-off-liquid-oxygen-imported-from-saudi-arabia-as-its-own/", "author": "Archit" }
941	Fact-check: Did Shah Jahan chop off the hands of Taj Mahal workers? - Alt News Archit 24th December 2021 / 2:18 pm On December 13, Kashi Vishwanath Dham was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi. He showered flower petals on sanitation workers at Kashi Vishwanath Temple as a gesture of gratitude for keeping the temple clean. While covering this event, News18 anchor Amish Devgan compared the PM with the 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. He claimed that while PM Modi showered flower petals on sanitation workers, Shah Jahan had chopped the hands of those who built the Taj Mahal. मुग़ल बादशाह शाहजहाँ ने ताजमहल को बनाने वाले मज़दूरों के हाथ कटवाए थे, और भव्य काशी धाम बनाने वाले मज़दूरों पर PM मोदी ने फूल बरसाए हैं । pic.twitter.com/hXQkewb58u — Amish Devgan (@AMISHDEVGAN) December 13, 2021 This claim was repeated by union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Gujarat. “Taj Mahal workers’ hands were chopped off, and then there is PM Modi who showered flowers on the workers behind the development of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor to express his gratitude,” he said in Gujarati. #WATCH \| On one hand, Taj Mahal workers’ hands were chopped off, and then there is PM Modi who showered flowers on the workers behind development of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor to express his gratitude: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Anand, Gujarat pic.twitter.com/nXyLjMp8CL — ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2021 BJP leader Vinay Tendulkar made a similar claim on Twitter. Shah Jahan – Chopped off the hands of the craftsmen who made taj mahal. Narendra Modi – Paid respect by blessing them with flower shower as a sign of gratitude towards their hard work. There is a huge difference in culture, intentions and conscience.#KashiVishwanathDham pic.twitter.com/yGo5z35QIU — Vinay Tendulkar (@TendulkarBJP) December 14, 2021 Alt News found that one of the oldest instances of this claim by a verified media account was by the UK-based Wired in 2010. Six years prior to this, UK’s leading news portal The Guardian also made the same claim. The claim — Shah Jahan chopped the hands of those who built the Taj Mahal — is a well known urban myth. Alt News spoke with historian S Irfan Habib who said, “I can state that there is neither any evidence to back this story nor any credible historian has ever made this claim. It is worth noting that this urban myth goes back to the 1960s and I heard it through word of mouth. However, there is one notable difference. Today, there is a communal spin to the myth, while back then it was more like a jibe on Shah Jahan.” On Google Books, we found ‘Journal of Historical Research’ published by the Department of History, Ranchi University in 1971. It addresses the story as an urban legend. In 2017, The Times of India debunked multiple myths related to the Taj Mahal, including the one at hand. “This story contrasts with available evidence and a vast settlement called Taj Ganj that still exists today. It was set up by Emperor Shah Jahan to house the thousands of masons, artisans and other workers who had assembled from the distant parts of his empire. The descendants of those workers still live there and practise the skills of their forefathers,” the article said. It was authored by journalist Manimugdha Sharma. India Today had published a listicle on Shah Jahan in 2016 where this claim is again referred to as a myth. That same year, Pakistan-based news outlet Dawn published an article about New York-based Rajiv Joseph’s play ‘Guards At The Taj’ which is based on the same myth. The article states, “The story about Shah Jehan ordering the amputation of 40,000 hands has entered folklore. Even though no contemporary account confirms this incident, the fact that it is still widely believed is proof of the unchecked power wielded by the Mughals, as well as by other monarchs of that period.” The Hindustan Times also published a report on this play. More crucially, no such information is stated on the official website of the Taj Mahal as of December 2021. However, the website Taj Tours published a blog addressing this myth. The blog hypothesised how the myth came about, “In reality, Shah Jahan imposed a moral boundation on his workers that they cannot work for any emperor. In modern time, we call it as a contract between the emperor and his workers. So, the saying “hands of the workers were amputated” came into being as these workers could not seek new work from any other emperor.” Manimugdha Sharma, who has authored multiple articles regarding misinformation targetting the Taj Mahal, refuted any historical basis for this claim while speaking to Alt News. News18 anchor Amish and BJP leader NS Tomar amplified decades-old urban myth targetting Shah Jahan. There is no evidence that Shah Jahan cut off the hands of the workers who built the Taj Mahal. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th December 2021 / 2:18 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-shah-jahan-chop-off-the-hands-of-taj-mahal-workers/", "author": "Archit" }
942	Fake Twitter account posing as 'Har Har Shambu' song fame Farmani Naaz viral - Alt News Kinjal 8th August 2022 / 11:38 am / Last updated: 8th August 2022 Recently, singer Farmani Naaz’s cover of the song ‘Har Har Shambhu’ has become quite popular. Abhilipsa Panda sang the original version of the song and both versions of the song are highly praised. Against this backdrop, a Twitter user with the handle ‘@FarmaniNazz786‘ posted a tweet on August 2, 2022, posing as the real Farmani Naaz. The post reads, “My ancestors were Hindu and that’s why I sang the bhajan ‘Har Har Shambhu’.” It also states that she will soon convert to Hinduism. The tweet racked up 48,000 likes and was retweeted by close to 8,000 people. (Archived link) On August 5, this handle tweeted that women were treated with the same level of respect as men only under Hinduism. This was the reason why she chose to sing ‘Har Har Shambhu’. In another tweet, the user wrote that she sang it as a way to ‘purify’ her family. (Archived link) Another tweet posted by the handle alleged that she has received beheading threats from ‘jihadis’. (Archived link) In addition, the handle has repeatedly requested social media users to follow them. The account has been deleted as of this writing. Alt News found a plethora of handles claiming to be Farmani Naaz on Twitter. However, upon closely examining the timeline of these handles, we learned that only one handle i.e., ‘@farmaninaaz786’, is genuine. It is worth noting that both the handles are spelt differently. Naaz is spelt as ‘naaz’ in the original account, whereas the user posing as Farmani has spelt the surname as ‘nazz’ and they have also spelt Farmani with the capital letter ‘F’. The original handle posted a video statement on August 3, informing her followers that ‘@farmaninaaz786′ was the authentic account and all other Twitter accounts were fake. She also clarified that fake accounts posing as her talked of religious conversion, but there was no truth to these claims. My original account Twitter @farmaninaaz786 pic.twitter.com/PecGeoX1nH — farmani Naaz 786 (@farmaninaaz786) August 3, 2022 However, this video was also downloaded and tweeted by the fake Twitter handle ‘@FarmaniNazz786’. This makes it seem that this is the real Twitter account of Farmani Naaz. After going through old tweets posted by ‘@FarmaniNazz786’, we learned that the handle’s name used to be ‘@Nitin_shuklaa’ and was changed to ‘@FarmaniNaazz’. The user eventually settled for the username ‘@FarmaniNazz786’ in an attempt to mirror the real account. The previous name of the handle appears in replies to old tweets. (Link 1, Link 2) The real Twitter handle ‘@farmaninaaz786’ was created in August 2020. Taking a closer look at its timeline, we could not find any suspicious tweets that mentioned conversion or death threats by ‘jihadis’. To sum it up, ‘@farmaninaaz786’ is the real Twitter handle of Farmani Naaz, and all the others are fake. This is not the first time that fake Twitter accounts of influential personalities have gone viral. Earlier too, fake accounts were created in which users were posing as President Droupadi Murmu and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th August 2022 / 11:38 am / Last updated: 8th August 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-singer-farmaani-naaz-said-she-will-accept-hisduism-fake-twitter-handle/", "author": "Kinjal" }
943	Fact-check: Did Sonia Gandhi sit on Manmohan Singh's seat during Bangladesh visit? - Alt News Rohan Datta 2nd April 2021 / 12:40 pm A photograph of the president of the Congress party Sonia Gandhi along with former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has been making the rounds on social media. In the picture, Sonia Gandhi is sitting opposite PM Sheikh Hasina. Several social media users are sharing the photograph claiming that it was taken during an official visit of Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh. Sonia Gandhi took the chair which is traditionally reserved for the Prime Minister, they claimed. “Once upon a time Sonia Gandhi once took Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a tour of Bangladesh!” wrote a Facebook user sarcastically. (Archive link) Another Twitter user posted this picture on March 28 and wrote, “There was another PM who also used to visit Bangladesh. But he was taken along by Sonia ji”. (Archive link) Several other individuals posted the picture with the same claim both on Facebook and Twitter. A Google search with pertinent keywords revealed that this picture was taken on October 6, 2019, when PM Sheikh Hasina met Sonia Gandhi and other Congress leaders in Delhi. Prime Minister Hasina was on an official four-day visit to India. She met PM Modi the day before on October 5, as reported by The Hindu Outlook India had uploaded the picture currently viral and credited Atul Yadav of the Press Trust of India (PTI). The caption beneath the photo states that the meeting took place at Hyderabad House in Delhi. Video footage of the meeting can be found on ANI’s Youtube channel [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68YXxAg4zfE] According to Hindustan Times, the Congress party stated that the meeting had taken place due to a “special bond of friendship” between the Awami League and the Congress party. The claims made by social media users are false. Dr Manmohan Singh was not the Prime Minister when the meeting took place in October 2019. He was present in the meeting in the capacity of a senior Congress leader. Ex-PM Dr Singh has been targeted with misinformation in the past as well. A video of Sonia Gandhi swapping seats with him after she inadvertently sat on the PM’s designated seat was shared with similar misleading information. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	2nd April 2021 / 12:40 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-sonia-gandhi-sit-on-manmohan-singhs-seat-during-bangladesh-visit/", "author": "Rohan Datta" }
944	Fact-check: Did Akhilesh Yadav say "Jinnah got India freedom"? - Alt News Priyanka Jha 9th November 2021 / 1:29 pm BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya recently tweeted an 18-second video featuring SP leader Akhilesh Yadav. Malviya alleged that Yadav claimed Muhammad Ali Jinnah got India freedom from British colonial rule. (Archive link) In the video, Yadav can be heard saying, “Jinnah became a barrister after studying in the same institution. He obtained his education and served as a barrister in the same place. He got freedom for India. He did not back down from any struggle…” “जिन्ना ने हमें आज़ादी दिलायी!” चंद वोटों के लिए देश को तोड़कर पाकिस्तान बनाने वाले जिन्ना को अखिलेश यादव अब्बा मान बैठे हैं। तुष्टिकरण की हद है। pic.twitter.com/GolgaYrm1M — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 1, 2021 Kanchan Gupta, an advisor in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, also made the same claim while sharing this video. “Jinnah got us azaadi” ~ @yadavakhilesh What kind of pandering is this? pic.twitter.com/4vkdDvss4h — Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) October 31, 2021 Arun Pudur and Payal Mehta were among those who shared the visuals and accompanying claim. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, Hindu Yuva Vahini in-charge Yogi Devnath, and Amit Kalraj of BJP Uttar Pradesh amplified the claim but did not share the video. In a reply to Kanchan Gupta’s tweet, a user shared a two-minute video of Akhilesh Yadav that confirms the politician’s statement is being taken out of context. He first mentions Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Mahatma Gandhi in context to India’s independence movement, followed by Jinnah. However, this initial portion has been cut out of the viral video. इस पोस्ट में सम्मिलित सभी माननीय जहीलों को समर्पित, दो रुपए के लिए अपनी अम्मा का एडिटेड वीडियो भी लगवा लो pic.twitter.com/L6OLyP9JHM — Amrendra Pandey (@sp_amrendra) November 1, 2021 On October 31, ANI posted a video of Yadav’s full speech, where the remarks can be heard in their entirety. He states, “Sardar Patel used to make decisions keeping in mind the situation on the ground. He would only make decisions after gaining a proper understanding of what was happening at the grassroots level. That’s why he is known as the Iron Man of India. Sardar Patel, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah became barristers after attending the same institution. They got freedom for India. They did not back down from any struggles. It was Iron Man of India Sardar Patel who imposed a ban on an ideology (RSS).” #WATCH \| Sardar Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah studied in the same institute. They became barristers and fought for India’s freedom… It was Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who imposed a ban on an ideology (RSS): SP chief Akhilesh Yadav pic.twitter.com/Pz3HkSrqn8 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 31, 2021 Amit Malviya shared a cropped video claiming that the SP chief talked of Muhammad Ali Jinnah getting freedom for India. However, he was actually addressing a gathering commemorating the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from Hardoi. During his speech, Yadav did not mention Jinnah solely in the context of India’s freedom struggle. His statement has been clipped and is being circulated out of context. The full-length video of the speech was uploaded to his YouTube channel. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2ZJLPiCcgw] We also reached out to a Delhi-based historian for more information on the role of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in India’s freedom struggle. Historian Syed Irfan Habib told Alt News, “Muhammad Jinnah was a freedom fighter in his early phase in the 1910s and 1920s. He was even called an ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity. But the latter phase, a communal phase that strengthened the League and divided the country, was also majorly his creation. It was an avoidable remark [Akhilsh Yadav’s statement] because we know how facts can be twisted. Jinnah remains a divisive figure for the role he played.” She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	9th November 2021 / 1:29 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-sp-leader-akhilesh-yadav-said-jinnah-got-us-freedom/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
945	Fact-check: Did SPG accidentally shoot a beggar to protect Rajiv Gandhi in 1986? - Alt News Kalim Ahmed 10th January 2022 / 5:53 pm / Last updated: 10th January 2022 A 1:58 minutes long video of the Associated Press’s coverage of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s visit to the Rajghat in 1986 is being widely circulated on social media. The video has been shared with the claim that the SPG (Special Protection Group) noticed some movement behind a bush during Gandhi’s visit, immediately fired shots and killed a man. The claim further adds that it was later found that the victim was a beggar. Below is a tweet by BJYM national VP Neeraj Jain. राजीव गांधी PM थे राजघाट पर प्रार्थना के लिए गए थे तभी झाड़ियों में कुछ हलचल हुई एक व्यक्ति SPG को नजर आया तुरंत Spg ने गोली चला दी ! बाद में पता चला कि वह व्यक्ति एक भिखारी था ! आज यही कांग्रेसी कह रहे हैं क्या ⁦@narendramodi⁩ पर किसी ने पत्थर फेंके क्या किसी ने गोली चलाई pic.twitter.com/znTR3nayu0 — Neeraj Jain हिंदुस्तानी (@neeraj_jain75) January 8, 2022 The claim is viral on both Twitter and Facebook. #मोदी_डरपोक है ?😠 तब #राजीव गांधी प्रधानमंत्री थे, एक दिन राजघाट पर प्रार्थना के लिए गए थे अचानक झाड़ियों में कुछ हलचल हुई और एक व्यक्ति SPG/NSG वालो को नजर आया,इसे एक खतरा समझकर तुरंत पोजीशन लिया और उस व्यक्ति को गोलियों से #भून डाला बाद में पता चला कि वह व्यक्ति एक भिखारी था pic.twitter.com/CP4Xbc5dvv — काननकुमार 🇮🇳 (@KananHTrivedi) January 9, 2022 राजीव गांधी प्रधानमंत्री थे राजघाट पर प्रार्थना के लिए गए, तभी झाड़ियों में कुछ हलचल हुई एक व्यक्ति SPG को नजर आया और उस व्यक्ति को गोलियों से भून डाला गया बाद में पता चला कि वह व्यक्ति एक भिखारी था जो रात को वही राजघाट पर सो जाता था और ये कहते है राजीव को डर नहीं लगता था। pic.twitter.com/LkDddLueQR — हम लोग We The People (@humlogindia) January 8, 2022 It has been shared against the backdrop of protestors blocking PM Modi’s convoy on a flyover in Punjab, which was termed as a ‘security breach’ by the Home Ministry and a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister by news channels supportive of the BJP. We performed a keyword search on Google and found the original video by the Associated Press on its AP archive YouTube channel. According to the video description, in October 1986, PM Rajiv Gandhi while attending the anniversary celebration of late Mahatma Gandhi, was shot at by a Sikh man hiding in a gazebo. The man was captured and Rajiv Gandhi was unharmed. The Washington Post’s report from October 3, 1986, confirms that shots were fired by the lone gunman using a homemade weapon that slightly wounded six people. The gunman was taken into custody. He had initially identified himself as Manmohan Desai but changed his name several times. The same was reported by Los Angeles Times. The report by Los Angeles Times also adds that in an attempt to maintain calm, a police spokesman announced that the gunman had no connection to Sikh extremists. A report by India Today, published almost after a month after the assassination attempt, provides full details of that day, including how the lone gunman was taken into custody. India Today mentions the identity of the lone gunman as one Karamjit Singh. Singh’s interview can be watched below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlv_QeTMBLU To summarise, when PM Rajiv Gandhi was visiting Rajghat on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a lone gunman attempted to assassinate him but failed and was taken into custody. The claim that the SPG shot at a beggar is false. No one died in the firing but six people suffered minor injuries. Kalim is a journalist with a keen interest in tech, misinformation, culture, etc Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	10th January 2022 / 5:53 pm / Last updated: 10th January 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-spg-accidentally-shoot-a-beggar-to-protect-rajiv-gandhi-in-1986/", "author": "Kalim Ahmed" }
946	No, Nepal Supreme Court has NOT banned loudspeakers in mosques - Alt News Kinjal 4th January 2021 / 10:32 am Recently, a claim about mosques in Nepal has been doing the rounds on social media. It alleges that Nepal’s Supreme Court banned loudspeakers in mosques. Twitter user Deepak Sharma’s tweet promoting the claim drew more than 9,500 retweets and was liked over 2,000 times at the time of writing. (Archive link) नेपाल में अब नहीं लगेंगे मस्जिदों पे लाउडस्पीकर ! नेपाल सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने इसे अपराध की श्रेणी में रखा! — Deepak Sharma (@TheDeepak2020In) December 21, 2020 A Twitter handle created in the name of Sadhvi Prachi, a BJP leader affiliated to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, also made a similar claim in a tweet. We found three Twitter handles claiming to be the politician’s official account. None of these is verified accounts. Kalpana Shrivastava, who describes herself as a lawyer, also tweeted this claim. (Archive link) नेपाल में लगे Mस्जिदों पर लाउडस्पीकर हटाने की SC में अर्जी मंजूर,नेपाल लाऊड स्पीकर मुक्त। प्रयास जारी रहेगा तुम सिर्फ ट्विटर अकॉउंट बन्द करवाने में लगे रहो खालिस्तानियों और हम हर अवैध स्पीकर हटवा कर रहेंगें क़ानूनी प्रक्रिया के तेहत। — कल्पना श्रीवास्तव (@Lawyer_Kalpana) December 21, 2020 Facebook page ‘Hindu Rashtra Bharat‘ posted something similar and shared a few documents. This claim is gathering a lot of traction on Twitter and Facebook. We could not find any media reports to corroborate the viral claim. We also searched the Supreme Court of Nepal’s website and found no such information there either. Alt News reached out to South Asia Check editor Deepak Adhikari who said that the court’s decision has been wrongly presented. The Supreme Court of Nepal ruled to keep the volume of mosque loudspeakers low, not ban them altogether. Deepak Adhikari also contacted Nepal Supreme Court spokesman Bhadrakali Pokharel on our behalf. “This is a temporary stay order. The judge gave this decision while hearing on a petition. He made a decision to keep the sound of loudspeakers in mosques low. They have not banned loudspeakers. The court gave this order on November 29. The next hearing on this petition was given on December 10. The defence did not appear and the hearing was cancelled,” Pokharel informed. Adhikari told us that the matter is still in court. The documents shared on Facebook were from the November 29 hearing. India Today and Dainik Bhaskar have also published fact-check reports on the viral claim. Therefore, the Supreme Court of Nepal had decided to lower the volume of mosque loudspeakers. The matter which is still in court was altered on Indian social media. False claims suggested that the Nepalese Supreme Court banned loudspeakers in mosques. [Note: This article will be updated as the case progresses in court.] Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	4th January 2021 / 10:32 am	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-supreme-court-of-nepal-ban-loudspeaker-of-mosques/", "author": "Kinjal" }
947	Fact-check: Did Tamil Nadu Dy CM O.Panneerselvam bow before PM Modi? - Alt News Jignesh Patel 28th July 2018 / 10:41 pm “This picture will break the hearts of the Bravehearts Tamilians who made the most protected guy in India too scared to drive. He had 2 fly on a chopper, break the wall of Madras IIT when TN trended #gobackmodi. Then this happened. Tamilians & South Indians will be shocked #TNGovt” tweeted an account named Suby (@Subytweets) on July 26, 2018 with a photograph of Tamil Nadu Dy CM O. Panneerselvam bowing before PM Narendra Modi. The tweet also refers to the protests that took place in Tamil Nadu over PM Modi’s visit in April, 2018. This picture will break the hearts of the Bravehearts Tamilians who made the most protected guy in India too scared to drive.He had 2 fly on a chopper, break the wall of Madras IIT,when TN trended #gobackmodi .Then this happened. Tamilians & South Indians will be shocked #TNGovt pic.twitter.com/8xwJV0A6Sp — Suby (@Subytweets) July 26, 2018 Moreover, Alt News found many articles in Tamil published with the same image. One of the earliest articles published by Vikatan on September 9, 2017, carried the same photo. The article is titled, “அ.தி.மு.க-வை இயக்குகிறதா பி.ஜே.பி ? உண்மை உணர்த்தும் 18 ‘பரபர’ சம்பவங்கள்! #Vikatan Exclusive” (Does the BJP operate the AIADMK? 18 “Widespread” Incidents #Vikatan Exclusive -Google translated) wherein the image was posted below a subhead, “சம்பவம் 11: பன்னீர் – பிரதமர் சந்திப்புகள்!” (Event 11: Paneer – Prime Minister’s Meetings -Google translated). It may be noted that the veracity of the article has not been questioned. Alt News did a Google reverse image search and found an article published by NDTV on February 18, 2018, titled, ” ‘I’m Minister Because Of PM Modi’s Advice,’ Says O Panneerselvam.” The article contained a photograph with the same background, showing PM Modi and Panneerselvam seated across each other. It was taken by the Press Information Bureau(PIB), a nodal agency of the Government of India when the two met in December 2016. Searching on Twitter with the keyword, “O. Panneerselvam” with a syntax, “from:@PIB_India” threw up a couple of tweets out of which one tweet had three photographs of the same event. However, none of them matched with the controversial image that has been circulated. CM Tamil Nadu, Shri O. Panneerselvam calls on PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/soHmR5hDbj — PIB India (@PIB_India) December 19, 2016 Googling the keywords, “O.Panneerselvam bow” shows images of O. Panneerselvam greeting Former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa. According to the Press Trust of India‘s photo archive, it was captioned, “Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam bows in front of AIADMK Leader J Jayalalithaa after she took an oath as new chief minister of Tamil Nadu in Chennai on Saturday.” Alt News found that the image of Panneerselvam seen kowtowing to PM Modi dates back to 2016 and has been lifted from the photograph posted below. Photoshopped images have become an easy tool for political propaganda. It does not take much time or effort to crop two unrelated images and put them together to churn a false narrative. Social media users are advised to be circumspect with regard to controversial content and are encouraged to use tools like reverse image search in order to find out the truth. Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	28th July 2018 / 10:41 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-tamil-nadu-dy-cm-o-panneerselvam-bow-before-pm-modi/", "author": "Jignesh Patel" }
948	Fact-check: Did the richest man in America 'John Ford' convert to Islam? - Alt News Archit 30th December 2021 / 6:17 pm / Last updated: 30th December 2021 Since the last week of November, several social media accounts have been posting two images of a caucasian man. In one of the images, he appears to be crying. The photos have been shared with the claim that the man is John Ford, “the richest man in America” who converted to Islam. Several users posted this on high network pro-Islam Facebook pages or groups such Mufti Menk’s Lectures [about 9 lakh followers], Spiritual journey to Islam [about 2 lakh followers]; and Psps Media [20K followers]. Over 200 accounts posted this image. [view spreadsheet] Facebook user Mohammed Saad Saifi’s post gained over 5,000 shares. He wrote the viral claim in the Hindi language. (अमेरिका के सबसे अमीर आदमी जॉन फोर्ड के पास 190 अमेरिकी चैनल हैं. आज इस ने ईसाई धर्म छोड़कर. इस्लाम धर्म अपना लिया.) Former Nangarhar Province Afghan Governor Ziaulhaq Amarkhil also posted this claim. الله أكبر جان دامریکا له بډایه او شتمنو کسانو څخه دی ، نوموړی د 19 امریکایي تلویزیونونو شبکو مالک دی، د شهادت کلمي په ويلو سره مسلمان شو او داسلام په مبارک دین مشرف شو دشهادت کلمي په ويلو سره سړی په ژړا شو۔ د نړۍ ټولو مسلمانانو ته دې مبارک وي! ووایی # الله_کبر ⁦☝️⁩ pic.twitter.com/TWukeULjdv — Governor Ziaulhaq Amarkhil (@GovernorAmarkhi) March 28, 2020 After conducting multiple reverse image searches, Alt News found that the viral images are a screenshot of a 2018 video. As per Khaleej Times, the video allegedly shows a man from the US who converted to Islam. The report states that the video was widely shared on Instagram but does not identify the man. The video was also uploaded on YouTube in May 2018. At the 40-second mark, one of the Muslim men leading the ceremony addresses the caucasian man by his name however, it isn’t coherent. We performed a keyword search to find about “John Ford”. As per US-based news outlet Variety, John Ford stepped down as general manager of NPACT in 2019. NPACT is a trade organization serving producers of nonfiction entertainment content. The organisation has 100+ member companies. Alt News looked at Ford’s portfolio on a website called ReelScreen and it lists the various media organisations he has worked for. The excerpt reads, “Ford served as president and GM of Discovery Channel from 2007 through the end of 2009, and also served as president and general manager of Discovery’s Military Channel and Discovery Times Channel, whose conversion to Investigation Discovery (ID) he initiated. He also was EVP, Programming and Production for the National Geographic Channel from 2003-07 and, prior to that, worked at Discovery Communications for 13 years, re-launching and heading TLC, launching Discovery Health Channel, and heading all content for Discovery Networks US.” However, the man in the viral video and Ford are two different persons. The image comparison below establishes the same. Alt News couldn’t identify the man in the viral video. The claim that John Ford is the richest man is also false. Below is the video ‘The 10 Richest People In America From 2010-2021’ by Forbes that doesn’t list his name. To sum it up, a video of the religious conversion of an alleged US man to Islam has been shared with the false claim that he is “John Ford who owns 190 channels in the USA”. This claim was earlier fact-checked by FactCresendo. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	30th December 2021 / 6:17 pm / Last updated: 30th December 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-the-richest-man-in-america-john-ford-convert-to-islam/", "author": "Archit" }
949	Fact-check: Did TN govt direct temples to pay Rs 10cr to fund 5,450 tonne free rice to mosques? - Alt News Archit 16th May 2020 / 6:00 pm / Last updated: 19th May 2020 On April 29, OpIndia (archive link) published an article with the headline — ‘5,450 tonnes of free rice to 2,985 mosques, 47 temples have to pay rupees ₹10 crores: Tamil Nadu government order,’ giving the impression that temples in Tamil Nadu were directed to pay for free rice to be supplied to mosques. The phrase ‘Tamil Nadu government order’ suggests that a single order was issued in the matter. OpIndia’s article talks about two different circulars sent by the Tamil Nadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HRCE) to 47 temples on April 22. These controversial circulars essentially instructed the temples to donate ₹10 crores towards the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund (CMPRF) to aid those suffering from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The circulars do not mention anything about free rice to mosques. In its article, OpIndia also claims that “unlike Muslims, Hindus don’t get anything in festivals”. The next day Sirf News (archive link) published a hastily made graphic which seems to suggest that the TN government utilises funds from temples to support mosques. On April 30, Priti Gandhi, head of social media for BJP Mahila Morcha, also tweeted about free rice to mosques and temples instructed to donate ₹10 crores. YouTuber Anshul Saxena posted a tweet with similar sentiments. Cumulatively their tweets were retweeted over 12,000 times. On May 2, right-wing propaganda website The Frustrated Indian (archive link) published an article that said, “This effectively means that the Tamil Nadu government, of which the BJP is an ally, is snatching funds from Hindu temples in order to cover-up their costs of appeasing the Muslims.” On April 22, the HRCE sent two circulars — circular 1 and circular 2 — to at least 47 of the largest temples in Tamil Nadu. The first circular invited the temples to donate “any amount according to their capacity” to the CMPRF. On the other hand, the second circular specified the expected donation from each temple in lakhs. A Chennai-based senior news editor on the condition of anonymity told Alt News, “At first glance, the HRCE circulars seem like an invitation to donate towards CMPRF. However, the fact that the commissioner specified exactly how much each temple should contribute makes it look more like a directive than an invitation.” On May 4, RR Gopaljee, associate editor at Dinamalar and member of Vishva Hindu Parishad, filed a petition at Madras High Court to quash the circulars sent by the HRCE. On May 5, The Hindu reported that the HRCE withdrew both the circulars. It is pertinent to note that on May 3, Alt News spoke with Phanindra Reddy, principal secretary/commissioner at the HRCE. Reddy specified that as of that day no temple had donated to CMPRF. Cost to donate rice to 2,927 mosques is borne by the government exchequer Since Reddy confirmed that no temples donated towards the CMPRF, their money could not have been utilised for free rice distribution to mosques. The annual initiative to offer free rice to mosques during Ramzan was introduced by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in her 2001 term, as per a report by The Outlook. In order to estimate the cost of 5,450 tonnes of free rice given to mosques during Ramzan, Alt News looked up the Cooperation Food and Consumer Protection Department (CFCPD) 2020-2021 policy note. The policy states, “During “Ramzan” month, the Government gives special allotment of raw rice to mosques for preparing ‘Nonbu Kanji’. For the year 2019, 5,450.384 MT of raw rice was distributed to nearly about 2,927 mosques for Ramzan at the rate of Rs.1/- per kg across the State that cost Rs.15.52 Crore to Government exchequer.” The 2020-21 policy note specifies the cost of rice incurred in 2019. Free gifts are distributed by the government during Hindu festivals as well Since the 2020-21 policy note specifies the cost of rice distribution during Ramzan in 2019, Alt News has compared it with last year’s cost of gift distribution during the Hindu festival Pongal — which is celebrated in January. As per the 2019-20 policy note, the government exchequer spent Rs 2,246.60 crores for gifts during Pongal last year. In contrast, free rice distribution during Ramzan had cost the government exchequer close to Rs 15.52 crores. The 2020-2021 policy note mentions that this year in addition to ‘special Pongal gift hamper,’ Rs 1000 cash was also offered. As per the document, “A total number of 1,98,41,149 Special Pongal gift hamper with cash assistance of Rs.1,000/-were distributed to PDS beneficiaries through the fair price shops.” The government had sanctioned a total amount of Rs 2363.13 crore. On April 25, the Tiruchirappalli government issued a press release stating that raw rice can be donated to beneficiaries via mosques during Ramzan. Subsequently, Hindutva organisation Hindu Munnani raised a petition against the TN government’s decision to donate raw rice to mosques during the holy month of Ramzan. However, Hindu Munnani’s prayer was overruled by the Madras High Court, reported Live Law on April 27. As per the Madras High Court, the petitioner’s prayer had proceeded on ‘religious lines’. The court ruled out discrimination. The bench consisting of Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Justice M. Nirmal Kumar relied on Supreme Court’s verdict on Prafull Goradia v. Union of India, (2011) — “As per the counter-affidavit, the Government was not averse to the idea of granting support to a pilgrimage conducted by any community as for example when the Government incurs some expenditure for the Kumbh or for facilitating Indian Citizens going on pilgrimage to Mansarovar, or visit temples and gurdwaras in Pakistan. Thus there is no discrimination.” Several right-wing websites published articles linking two unrelated matters — Tamil Nadu government’s donation of rice to 2,927 mosques during Ramzan and the HRCE’s controversial circular demanding ₹10 crores donation from temples to CMPRF. Temples were not directed to fund rice distribution during Ramzan. Furthermore, gifts are distributed during Hindu festivals as well. The misleading reports communalised the issue and eventually fueled the social media trend #LootTemplesGiftMinorities in the first week of May. Several tweeter users systemically spread misinformation that money from temples is used to fund mosques. Ramesh Shinde, the national spokesperson of right-wing news website Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, tweeted two images and claimed that temples are being looted. The second image posted by Shinde claimed that Tamil Nadu government ordered temples have to pay ₹10 crores for 5,450 tonnes of free rice to 2,985 mosques. This was retweeted over 1500 times (archive link). This tweet was quote-tweeted by @RituRathaur who has over one-lakh followers (archive link). Sankrant Sanu, IIT graduate and the founder of the right-wing publishing house Garuda, quote-tweeted a tweet that claimed Tamil Nadu government is taking money from temples to funds gifts to mosques. Sanu’s tweet was retweeted over 600 times. (archive link) 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	16th May 2020 / 6:00 pm / Last updated: 19th May 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-tn-govt-direct-temples-to-pay-rs-10cr-to-fund-5450-ton-free-rice-to-mosques/", "author": "Archit" }
950	Fact-check: Did Yogi Adityanath say dead Muslim women should be raped? - Alt News Priyanka Jha & Anuradha Prasad 29th September 2020 / 10:45 pm / Last updated: 1st October 2020 A video featuring Abhishek Banerjee has been trending recently on social media. Banerjee is a Trinamool Congress MP and the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the video, he alleges that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an objectionable statement about women from the Muslim community. He claims that the BJP leader spoke of raping Muslim women. “Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of one of the largest states of the country is saying, ‘We will take Muslim women out of graves and rape them’,” said Banerjee. Facebook user Nisar Bhatt posted this video which was shared more than 25,000 times and received over 16,000 likes as of this writing. Ban Bang BJP Bakht SUSHIL PANDIT Got Bashed By a Youth. Posted by NBTV on Wednesday, 16 September 2020 Abhishek Banerjee had made this statement in February of this year during a televised debate. The Telegraph held a debate show called ‘The Telegraph National Debate 2020′ at the Calcutta Club on February 15. Also present at the debate were actress Swara Bhaskar and JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh. The purpose of the program was to discuss the ‘anti-national’ label ascribed to anyone dissenting against the government. The MP had also posted a video of his speech on Facebook. My speech at the Telegraph National Debate, Calcutta Club #Part1 My speech at the Telegraph National Debate, Calcutta Club \| আজ ক্যালকাটা ক্লাবে আয়োজিত দ্য টেলিগ্রাফ ন্যাশনাল ডিবেট তে আমার বক্তব্য #Part1 Posted by Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday, 15 February 2020 A website The London Post ascribed the statement to Adityanath in a 2017 article. In 2018, media portal Bolta Hindustan also claimed that the UP Chief Minister spoke of raping dead Muslim women. To sum up the answer to this question in one word – No. However, it is important to understand why Adityanath’s name is frequently associated with the offensive statement. Alt News had reported in March 2017 about Yogi Adityanath expressing disapproval for the idea of people from the Muslim and Hindu communities living together. He also said that the two cultures could not coexist. He had made these comments during a speech at the Virat Hindu Chetna Rally in 2007-08 when his supporters and Hindu Yuva Vahini activists also took to the stage to make abusive and objectionable remarks against Muslim women. At around the 3-minute mark in the video posted below, a man can be heard saying, “Now is the time to get their mothers and daughters out of graves and rape their children. This is the need of the hour, friends. And only the Hindu Yuva Vahini can do it.” Yogi Adityanath was on-stage when the statement was made by a co-speaker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaMCqwQcxbc In March 2017, BJP won the UP Assembly elections with a huge margin and Yogi Adityanath was handed the position of Chief Minister. Adityanath’s associated with a radical Hindutva school of thought and demands for the establishment of a Hindu nation are not unknown. At the time, a number of media outlets (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3) and journalists had questioned his selection as Chief Minister. Amidst these criticisms, several reports had covered the communal and objectionable speeches he had made in the past. In one such speech, he said, “We have decided that if they capture one Hindu girl, then we will bring back at least 100 Muslim girls. If they kill one Hindu, then we will also kill 100. Our response will be a hundred times worse than their act.” He made these comments while discussing cases of ‘love jihad’ in Uttar Pradesh. These comments are part of a documentary from 2011 and can be heard at the 56-minute mark onwards. At another Hindu Virat Chetna rally, Adityanath said, “We are all preparing for a religious war. Only this religious war can fight Jihad. People say, ‘What was the point of creating the Hindu Vahini?’ I say necessity. Hinduism is a different culture, Islam is a different culture, the two cannot coexist. Two cultures can never live together in harmony. A collision between both will happen, it will come eventually. And when two cultures cannot live together, the division of this country is inevitable, it simply must happen. This is a warning and that’s why we have organised this Hindu Chetna rally, which is being held in every region of Uttar Pradesh. Brothers, the Virat Hindu Chetna rally is not just about creating consciousness, it is about more than just awakening the Hindu consciousness. One of our workers rightly said, ‘This is also a rally to warn Hindus.’ If you want to save the country, then create this kind of emotion inside this country, create conditions to organise Hindus. Take steps that will bring together different strands of the Hindu society into one thread. Aggressively do things that will execute our vision. That is why we created the Hindu Vahini.” While it wasn’t Yogi Adityanath who made the statement about raping dead bodies of Muslim women, an activist of the Hindu Yuva Vahini made the remark in his presence. Adityanath did not object to the speech. We were unable to find any reports of legal action taken against the activist. It is noteworthy that the founder of the Hindu Yuva Vahini is Yogi Adityanath himself. To sum it up, Abhijeet Banerjee’s claim that Yogi Adityanath spoke of raping women of the Muslim community is incorrect. The objectionable remarks were in fact made by a worker of his organisation in his presence. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media….	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	29th September 2020 / 10:45 pm / Last updated: 1st October 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-up-cm-yogi-adityanath-say-rape-muslim-women-by-taking-them-out-of-graves/", "author": "Priyanka Jha & Anuradha Prasad" }
951	Viral: Morphed image of Yogi Adityanath watching Hathras victim's cremation 'live' - Alt News Anuradha Prasad 5th October 2020 / 7:53 pm A 19-year-old Dalit woman, who was allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, was cremated in the wee hours of September 30. Family members were locked inside their homes and the victim’s body was burnt without her parents at the site where police formed a human chain to block protesters. In this backdrop, Facebook user Niraj Dhanwal posted an image of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath where he is purportedly seen watching the cremation of the Hathras victim live on a laptop. The message posted along with the image reads, “इसके लिए 2-2 शब्द जरूर बोलो (Please reserve a few words for this.)” As of this writing, the post amassed over 8,400 shares. Another Facebook user Lokesh Kumar posted the same image and said, “हाथरस गैंग रेप पिड़िता को युपी की जल्लाद पुलिस वालों ने कैसे जलाया उसकी लाइव वीडियो देखता हुआ एक नाकारा मुख्यमंत्री. (The incompetent Chief Minister watching the live video of Hathras gang-rape victim being cremated by UP’s cruel policemen.)” The post has been shared over 400 times so far. The image is also being shared on Twitter with the same claim. #हाथरस_गैंगरेप पीड़िता को यूपी की जल्लाद पुलिस वालों ने कैसे जलाया उसकी लाइव वीडियो देखता हुआ एक नाकारा और नपुंसक मुख्यमंत्री. हमें शर्म आती है इसके जैसे नपुंसक को अपने प्रदेश का मुखिया कहते हुए.#हाथरस_गैंगरेप #बलात्कारियों_को_फांसी_दो#बलात्कारी_योगी_सरकार@suryapsingh_IAS pic.twitter.com/W8boTjupns — बेरोजगार जय प्रकाश सिंह 🇮🇳 (बाइस में बाइसकिल)🚲 (@JPSingh_SP) October 1, 2020 A simple reverse search reveals that the picture has been morphed. The original photograph of CM Yogi Adityanath was tweeted by news agency ANI on Septemeber 30. In the photo, he was speaking to the father of the Hathras victim over a video call. To protect the identity of the family, the face of the father was blurred in the image. According to another tweet by ANI, after speaking to the family, the CM announced that ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh and a house will be given to the family of the victim along with a government job to one family member. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath speaks to the family of #Hathras gang-rape victim, via video conferencing. pic.twitter.com/htIprJUk0W — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 30, 2020 India Today journalist Tanushree Pandey had clicked a picture of the Hathras victim’s body being cremated in the dead of the night early September 30. The picture superimposed on the laptop’s screen is the same one clicked by the journalist. A comparison of the viral edited image and the original photo of CM Adityanath is posted below. This image was earlier fact-checked by India Today, The Quint and Boom. A photo of CM Adityanath speaking with Hathras victim’s family was edited and shared with the claim that he watched the cremation of the victim’s body ‘live’. A journalist and a dilettante person who always strives to learn new skills and meeting new people. Either sketching or working. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th October 2020 / 7:53 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-up-cm-yogi-adityanath-watch-live-cremation-of-hathras-victim/", "author": "Anuradha Prasad" }
952	No, Yogi Adityanath did not chide UP Dy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya in this video - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 6th December 2021 / 7:15 pm A video of a man coming up on stage to whisper something into Yogi Adityanath’s ear is making the rounds online. The video shows the UP chief minister promptly scolding him and asking him to be seated. It is claimed that the man reprimanded by Yogi was Keshav Prasad Maurya, UP’s deputy chief minister. Uttar Pradesh Congress Twitter handle shared the video, writing, “First he was made to sit on a stool, and then scolded and pushed aside. Who is this silent chief minister whom Yogi Adityanath keeps insulting?” Though the post did not mention Keshav Prasad Maurya by name, it contained references to events involving him. पहले स्टूल पर बिठाया। अब डांट कर पीछे भगाया। कौन है ये चुप मुख्यमंत्री जिसको योगी जी इतना अपमानित कर रहे हैं? pic.twitter.com/AHmBXf6SvM — UP Congress (@INCUttarPradesh) December 1, 2021 Priyanka Chauhan of the Aam Aadmi Party also tweeted the visuals and wrote, “This shows the level of respect Yogi Adityanath has for Keshav Prasad Maurya (Deputy CM of UP)”. (Archive link) ये इज़्ज़त है केशव प्रसाद मौर्या (उप्र के डिप्टी CM ) की ढोंगी बाबा के आगे pic.twitter.com/Kos2M467Tl — Priyanka Chowhan (@chowhanpriyanka) December 1, 2021 Twitter user Sujit Singh posted the video with the same claim. (Archive link) सीखो कुछ मौर्या से खुले मंच पर बेज्जती हो जाए लेकिन मजाल है पार्टी के खिलाफ एक शब्द बोल दे। pic.twitter.com/pCtYdwYlhP — BJP KA VIRODHI #VSGT 🇮🇳 (@sujitsingh__) December 1, 2021 Alt News performed a keyword search and came across a report by Aaj Tak. It stated that the man seen in the video was Vibhrat Chand Kaushik of the BJP, and the footage was taken at an event held in the Bansgaon constituency area where Yogi Adityanath was the chief guest. We examined Kaushik’s Facebook profile to verify this and found a few other images taken at the aforementioned event. This confirms that the BJP leader was present at this gathering. Posted by Vibhrat Chand Kaushik on Sunday, November 28, 2021 We then performed a keyword search on YouTube and found a video from that day posted by the Uttar Pradesh government’s channel. Scenes from the viral video appear at the 10:05 mark. It can be seen clearly that Vibhrat Chand Kaushik gets up from his seat to whisper something into Yogi Adityanath’s ear, before he is told to sit back down. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1lXeuzBV0c] Journalist Manish Pandey tweeted this video on November 30 and wrote that Kaushik had been publicly humiliated. कभी कभार भौकाल बनाने के चक्कर मे बेइज्जती हो जाती है । #गोरखपुर में नजदीकी दिखाने के चक्कर में #भाजपा नेता विभ्राट चंद कौशिक सार्वजनिक रूप से पा गए फटकार । pic.twitter.com/XrOtr1DsXY — MANISH PANDEY (@ManishPandeyLKW) November 30, 2021 We also reached out to Kaushik himself for more information. He confirmed it was he who appeared in the video. He also revealed that he told Yogi something about the construction of a stadium when he was told to be seated by the chief minister. Though his video is widespread with several misleading claims, he himself confirmed that Keshav Prasad Maurya was not present at the function. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	6th December 2021 / 7:15 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-did-yogi-adityanath-scold-deputy-cm-of-up-keshav-prasad-maurya-on-the-stage/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
953	Fact-check: Was the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme started by NDA Govt as claimed by PM Modi? - Alt News Pratik Sinha 31st October 2017 / 3:25 pm / Last updated: 31st October 2017 “Humne Direct Benefit Transfer scheme shuru ki. Pehle, alag alag yojnae gareebo ke naam par chalti thi, lekin pata hi nahin chalta ki us gareeb ko milti thi ya nahin milti thi. Aisi aisi vidhwao ko pension jata tha jo bachchi paida na hui ho lekin sarkari daftar mein vidhwa ho jati thi, aur usko sarkari khajane se paise milte rehte the. Humne Direct Benefit Transfer se yojna shuru kiya. Aadhar number se verficiation kiya.“, stated PM Modi while addressing a rally in Bidar, Karnataka. We started direct benefit transfer scheme. This resulted in money reaching to its rightful owner. We successfully eliminated middlemen: PM pic.twitter.com/TYjaZY1IGH — ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2017 After claiming that NDA Govt started the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, he went on to state that leakage of over Rs 57,000 Crore which earlier used to end up in the hands of middlemen has been plugged because of introduction of Direct Benefit Transfer scheme. My govt has saved Rs. 57,000 crore of public money from middlemen through DBT. This is one of the reasons corrupt parties hate me : PM Modi pic.twitter.com/D54O5eSYWG — BJP (@BJP4India) October 30, 2017 While there’s no doubt that India for long has suffered from the sort of leakages that PM Modi mentioned in his speech, was the Direct Benefit Transfer started by NDA Govt as PM Modi claimed? As it turns out, the roll-out of Direct Benefit Transfer scheme started in 2013 and was announced in the Union Budget of India in February 2013. In a PIB press release in February 2013, it was announced that the DBT Scheme would be retrospectively effective from 1 January, 2013. The release stated, “The Government of India has decided to introduce a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme with effect from 1 January, 2013. To begin with, benefits under 26 schemes will directly be transferred into the bank accounts of beneficiaries in 43 identified districts across respective states and union territories (UT).” In fact, two tweets posted on August 31, 2017 by the Office of Prime Minister of India themselves are a testimony of the fact that Direct Benefit Transfer scheme started in the 2013-2014 financial year under UPA Government. In the first tweet, while illustrating the growth of Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme, it is shown that 7367.7 crores were transferred to beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer in the 2013-2014 financial year. In the second tweet, it is shown that 10.71 crores of beneficiaries became part of the DBT scheme in the financial year 2013-2014. According to the tweets, the aforemention figures increased to 74607.55 crores and 41.63 crores respectively in the 2016-17 financial year. It must also be mentioned that as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi was very critical of UIDAI or Aadhar which forms the backbone of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme. On Aadhaar, neither the Team that I met nor PM could answer my Qs on security threat it can pose. There is no vision, only political gimmick — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 8, 2014 Further more, Union Minister Ananth Kumar in April 2014 had gone to the extent of stating that they would scrap Aadhaar if they get the mandate. While it cannot be denied that the Direct Benefit Transfer has grown considerably under the NDA Government led by PM Modi, one fails to understand as to why the PM would need to claim that NDA Government started this scheme when there’s plenty of evidence to the contrary. Co-Founder Alt News, I can be reached via E-mail at [email protected] and on Facebook at https://fb.com/freethinker. Follow @free_thinker Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	31st October 2017 / 3:25 pm / Last updated: 31st October 2017	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-direct-benefit-transfer-scheme-started-nda-govt-claimed-pm-modi/", "author": "Pratik Sinha" }
954	Fact-check: Does Akshay Kumar hold honorary citizenship of Canada? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 3rd May 2019 / 8:48 pm / Last updated: 3rd May 2019 Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar’s recent ‘non-political’ interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised eyebrows with respect to the timing of the interaction. The interview was held mid-elections and telecast across mainstream news channels thus, drawing its fair share of criticism and reviving the controversy over Kumar’s citizenship – whether he is an Indian or a Canadian citizen. The actor recently ducked the question of voting in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and the video of the event gained vigorous momentum on social media. Kumar subsequently put out a statement on Twitter on May 3 saying, “I have never denied or hidden that I hold a Canadian passport.” pic.twitter.com/i0JEmbFh9c — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 3, 2019 “About the Canadian thing, I am an honorary citizen. I’ve been given an honorary thing. I think it’s something people should be proud about. I also have a doctorate, doesn’t mean I am a ‘doctor doctor’. This is what people need to understand,” said Kumar in a Times Now interview broadcast on August 11, 2017. I am an honorary citizen of Canada. I think people should be proud of: @akshaykumar #AkshayOnTheNewshour pic.twitter.com/GB2qTz18eB — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) August 11, 2017 He reiterated the same in a public interaction available on YouTube. When a reporter questioned Kumar on his Wikipedia page mentioning that he is a Canadian national, the actor replied, “That is honorary. It is not what you think.” The website of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lists the people who have been given honorary Canadian citizenship. Only six individuals in the world have been so far named honorary citizens of the country, the latest being Pakistani Noble Laureate Malala Yousafsai. The five others are Raoul Wallenberg, Nelson Mandela, the 14th Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi, and the Aga Khan. Myanmar politician Aung San Suu Kyi’s honorary citizenship was, however, revoked by Canada last year citing human rights violation by the Burmese military and the government against Rohingya Muslims. Based on the information available on the Canadian PM’s website, only five people currently hold the title of honorary citizens of Canada and Akshay Kumar is not one among them. During a 2014 debate on honorary citizenship in the Canadian Parliament, Senator Stephen Greene mentioned that the country bestows the title to only those who have achieved “historic accomplishment that advances freedom.” Kumar evidently does not fall under this category of individuals. In his recent tweet, Kumar said that he holds a Canadian passport. This statement itself is sufficient to debunk his own claim of being an honorary citizen of the country. Honorary citizenship is a purely symbolic gesture. “It does not come with any rights or privileges, such as a Canadian passport or the right to vote in national elections,” per a report in Al Jazeera. Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar was never an honorary citizen of Canada. His recent tweet debunks a piece of misinformation propagated by the actor himself. If Kumar holds a Canadian passport, he cannot be an honorary citizen of the country. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd May 2019 / 8:48 pm / Last updated: 3rd May 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-does-akshay-kumar-hold-honorary-citizenship-of-canada/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
955	Fact-Check: Does Himalaya's neem, tulasi, lasuna supplements contain bovine extract? - Alt News Archit 20th July 2021 / 3:00 pm / Last updated: 2nd April 2022 In the second week of July, several social media users shared a claim suggesting that the Himalaya Drug Company’s neem, tulasi, and lasuna supplements contain halal-certified meat. This claim has been supported with an image of a photocopy of a 2015 e-mail exchange between Avtar Singh ([email protected]) and Himalaya’s customer service manager Ms Tara Sharad Charun ([email protected]). The email reads, “Dear Mr Singh Thank you for contacting us once again. Presently, our Pure Herb capsule shells (including Neem, Tulasi & Lasuna) available in Indian market are hard Gelatin. The gelatin capsules contain Pharmaceutical grade gelatin which is of Bovine bone origin and Halal certified. Our best wishes towards your well-being. Regards” Several Twitter users have targeted the company including BJP supporters Sanjeev Newar and Arun Pudur. Newar is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their tweets gained over 3,000 retweets. Several Facebook accounts have also shared this claim. As per the company’s website, neem, tulsi, and lasuna supplements are 100% vegetarian tablets and not capsules. Types of capsules Capsules can be broadly categorised into vegetarian and non-vegetarian. The former are typically gelatin-based while the latter is based on starch or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). According to a 2018 report, 98% of the Indian pharmaceutical industry uses animal parts-based capsules. What is gelatin? As per PETA, “Gelatin is a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones with water. It is usually obtained from cows or pigs. Gelatin is used in shampoos, face masks, and other cosmetics; as a thickener for fruit gelatins and puddings (such as Jell-O); in candies, marshmallows, cakes, ice cream, and yogurts; on photographic film; and in vitamins as a coating and as capsules.” A National Center for Biotechnology Information study mentions that gelatin is a very popular pharmaceutical and food ingredient and the most studied ingredient in Halal researches. Himalaya’s response In order to address the social media controversy, the company shared an official social media statement, “Himalaya Wellness does not use gelatin capsules in any product for human consumption in India. All our products are in tablet form or in vegetable capsules. We wish to clarify that the information mentioned in the social media posts is factually incorrect, and our single herb products like Neem, Tulasi, and Lasuna available in India are in tablet form and not as capsules.” pic.twitter.com/6GFOVQCEh1 — Himalaya Wellness Company (@HimalayaIndia) July 13, 2021 While a Himalaya spokesperson did not clarify if the 2015 e-mail is authentic or not, as per our sources the email is genuine. It is noteworthy that ehe Himalaya Drug Company is routinely subjected to communal misinformation, one of the reason being that was founded by Bengaluru-based Mohammed Manal in 1930. Type of capsule used for neem, tusali, and lasuna We found a 2013 study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) that mentions lasuna capsules by Himalaya Drug Company. The study has listed the product page of the lasuna capsule. This page is no longer active. However, an archive is accessible on WayBackMachine. The archived version of the Himalaya Drug Company page, previously known as Himalaya Health Care, establishes that neem, tulasi, and lasuna supplements were indeed sold in capsule form. The page doesn’t state that the product was 100% vegetarian. We performed a keyword search on Facebook and found two posts that establish that gelatine-based capsules were indeed used. In 2014, Thailand-based Facebook page ‘Namaste-Himalaya product nateral100%‘ posted images of Himalaya Neem. As per the description in the rear, the capsules were gelatin-based. In 2015, Facebook Page Himalaya Personal Care confirmed the same while responding to Facebook user Atul Sarin. As per our investigation, capsule-based supplements for tulasi, neem, and lasuna were changed to tablet form after 2015. Just like several other companies, Himalaya also sells capsule-based supplements like Ayurslim and Gokshura. The product page of Gokshura states that it is 100% vegetarian under the additional information tab. Additionally, we also found the product description of Gokshura which states that HPMC capsules are used. Those interested in learning more about capsules can read the 2017 study titled ‘Are your capsules vegetarian or nonvegetarian: An ethical and scientific justification’ by NCBI. Inputs from Avtar Singh, the sender of the 2015 email Alt News also spoke with Avtar Singh of Ram Gaua Raksha Dal spoke on phone. Singh said, “Back in 2015, I was advocating for a law that compels companies, including pharmaceuticals, to indicate if their product is vegetarian or not by adding green or brown indicators. If it can be done on edible products then why not for other products?” He refused to share the email correspondence in question with us. It is noteworthy that Singh’s earlier email address [email protected] no longer exists. However, archived versions of the website ramgauarakshadal.com are available on WayBackMachine. Supreme Court’s verdict on the matter The controversy about using gelatin-based capsules is not new. In 2002, a Public Interest Litigation was filed claiming that it is the right of a consumer to know the origin (vegetarian/non-vegetarian) of cosmetics, drugs, and articles of food via a clear indication (green dot and brown dot). A bench comprising Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya had observed in 2013, “… In so far as food products are concerned, adequate provisions have been made for informing the consumers as to whether or not the article of food is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. As regards drugs and cosmetics, necessary amendments have not been made in the relevant statutes. In so far as a life-saving drug is concerned, there is a viewpoint that the information: whether or not it is derived or manufactured, wholly or partly, from an animal, should not be disclosed since it is meant to fight disease and save life… In any event, they cannot exercise an informed choice in the matter of selection of drugs. In the circumstances, therefore, the aforesaid view must prevail in the case of life-saving drugs. This limited exception will apply only to life-saving drugs. It needs to be clarified that all drugs do not qualify for being treated as life-saving drugs. Drugs that are not life-saving drugs must stand in part with the food products and must disclose whether or not they are made of animals, whether in whole or in part.” The apex court also stated that a similar plea was dismissed by the Drug Technical Advisory Board in its 48th meeting on July 8, 1999. The proposal was rejected by the board in April 2021 as well. Alt News spoke with the press relations officer at Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation. He said, “The rule to add the green or brown dot on drugs to indicate if their make is vegetarian or non-vegetarian respectively hasn’t been approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.” Last year, new rules were conferred under section 12 and section 33 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940) after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board. They are known as Cosmetics Rules, 2020. This update doesn’t include a law about indicating the drugs via green or brown dot. The 2015 e-mail by Himalaya’s customer service manager is authentic. This was confirmed by a source. But more crucially, the company’s past correspondence with customers confirms that their capsules were gelatin-based. However, Himalaya no longer sells neem, tulasi and lasuna supplements in capsule form that uses gelatine. The company has been selectively targeted on social media as 98% of the Indian pharmaceutical industry uses such capsules. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	20th July 2021 / 3:00 pm / Last updated: 2nd April 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-does-himalayas-neem-tulasi-lasuna-supplements-contain-bovine-extract/", "author": "Archit" }
956	Fact-check: Does this photo show Rahul Gandhi holding UP cop by his collar? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 4th October 2020 / 12:14 am / Last updated: 4th October 2020 A Dalit woman’s alleged gang-rape in Hathras sparked protests in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi after UP police cremated the victim’s body against her family’s consent. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s handling of the case came under heavy criticism with opposition leaders demanding Adityanath’s resignation. On October 1, a huge contingent of police was deployed at Delhi-UP border as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi set out to visit the deceased’s kin. A scuffle with the cops led to their arrest. The duo was subsequently permitted to meet the victim’s family on October 3. However, videos of their first attempt to travel to Hathras were widespread as Rahul reportedly fell to the ground during the confrontation with policemen. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Arunbhau shared a photograph suggesting Rahul held a cop by his collar. Is this you @RahulGandhi holding collar of Police officer ?? pic.twitter.com/1FQ8DInoN2 — Pratap Arunbhau Adsad (@PratapAdsad_) October 1, 2020 Twitter user Rishi Bagree, a vocal supporter of the BJP who has shared misinformation on several occasions, promoted the same. Rahul Gandhi holding collar of an on-duty policeman pic.twitter.com/3M7LxEuFgL — Rishi Bagree (@rishibagree) October 2, 2020 Media outlet Republic broadcast a show where a blurry video of Rahul’s scuffle with cops was played for viewers while the anchor claimed that the Congress leader ‘fell for the camera’. The channel claimed that the video clearly shows he ‘fell himself’. The popular English language adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” has little relevance in a case where videos can provide a thorough context. BJP members and supporters of the party shared a screengrab of a video instead of sharing the actual clip. There are two videos of the confrontation that show Rahul falling to the ground. In the first video, he is walking towards Hathras as policemen attempt to stop him. A cop can be seen roughing him up and holding the Congress leader by his collar. “Maaro mujhe maaro (hit me),” Rahul says to the cop. लाला लाजपत राय ने कहा था मेरे तन पर पड़ा लाठी का एक एक वार अंग्रेजी राज के ताबूत में आखिरी कील साबित होगा। राहुल जी और प्रियंका जी के काफिले पर चल रहीं लाठियां भी योगी सरकार के ताबूत में आखिरी कील साबित होंगी। pic.twitter.com/cVYzJnO2A7 — Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) October 1, 2020 Another video shot from the side where Rahul falls shows the same cop holding his collar and the Congress leader subsequently falling to the ground. Visual analysis cannot establish the strength of the policemen’s push — if it was powerful enough for Rahul to fall. However, the videos do show cops roughing him up. But we digress. The photograph promoted by BJP MP Adsad to suggest it was Rahul who heckled a cop is a screenshot of a third video which was tweeted by Congress. This video shows the events leading up to the fall. The Congress leader is surrounded by policemen who attempt to stop him from walking toward Hathras. As they obstruct him, one of the cops comes in front of Rahul and back peddles while facing him. The Congress MP puts his hand on the cop’s chest and shoves him to the left. His hand does not reach up to the policeman’s collar. The claim that Rahul Gandhi held a policeman by his collar is therefore false. As far as Republic is concerned, the channel declared that the Congress leader “fell himself” based on a mere clip. This fact-check had earlier pointed out that it’s not possible to decipher the strength of a push through the viral videos. But screenshot posted by BJP MP Pratap Arunbhau Adsad does not show Rahul Gandhi holding a cop by his collar. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	4th October 2020 / 12:14 am / Last updated: 4th October 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-does-this-photo-show-rahul-gandhi-holding-up-cop-by-his-collar/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
957	Fact-check: Does this photo show UPTET aspirants sleeping on roadside at night? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 30th November 2021 / 3:03 pm / Last updated: 1st December 2021 The Uttar Pradesh Teachers Eligibility Test (UPTET) was cancelled after a question paper for the examination was leaked. The exam was scheduled to be held on Sunday. Against this backdrop, a photo of students sleeping on a roadside has been shared. It has been claimed that UPTET aspirants slept in the open on a cold night to take the exam but it was cancelled the next day. The image was shared on Facebook page ‘मुलायम पुत्र अखिलेश’ and Facebook groups ‘बेसिक शिक्षा खबर उत्तर प्रदेश : PRIMARY KA MASTER: Basic Shiksha Parishad’ and ‘SSC Exam’. It is also circulating on Twitter. State President of Rajasthan Unemployment Unified Federation Upen Yadav had tweeted a video of the incident while tagging Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. दर्दनाक रात …..😭😭 कई युवा साथी बीमार हो गए हैं l राज्य सरकार को सद्बुद्धि दे भगवान 👏👏@RajCMO @ashokgehlot51 @priyankagandhi @RahulGandhi @INCUttarPradesh @RajGovOfficial @_lokeshsharma @INCIndia @INCRajasthan @GovindDotasra @dgurjarofficial pic.twitter.com/zGVWh0WLUL — Upen Yadav (@TheUpenYadav) November 28, 2021 He had also shared newspaper clippings and one of them showed the same people sitting on the roadside, not sleeping. This is a Dainik Bhaskar report according to which, unemployed men and women from Rajasthan have been protesting for the past 46 days. On Saturday, the youth spent the night in the cold in Lucknow to protest outside Congress headquarters. According to a report in The Indian Express published on November 29, “The demands of the protesters include appointments in several government jobs for which recruitment exams have already been conducted, increase in the number of vacancies for state government jobs and formulation of a non-bailable law against those who leak question papers in competitive examinations,” said the report. UP police fact-check also pointed out the truth. वायरल फ़ोटो UPTET के अभ्यर्थियों की नहीं है अपितु राजस्थान के युवकों की है। UPTET के परीक्षार्थियों को उनके एडमिट कार्ड के आधार पर सुविधापूर्वक यूपीएसआरटीसी की बसों से घर भेजा जा रहा है और यह परीक्षा राजकीय व्यय पर पुनः एक माह में आयोजित करायी जायेगी। कृपया भ्रामक खबर ना फैलाएँ। pic.twitter.com/p4e94Uicyq — UPPOLICE FACT CHECK (@UPPViralCheck) November 28, 2021 Thus, an image of youth from Rajasthan staging a protest in Lucknow against unemployment has been falsely shared as UP. It must be noted that youth in UP protested against the cancellation of the TET exam. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	30th November 2021 / 3:03 pm / Last updated: 1st December 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-does-this-photo-show-uptet-aspirants-sleeping-on-roadside-at-night/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
958	Fact-check: Does this video show a maulana "spitting" on food? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 9th November 2021 / 8:19 pm / Last updated: 9th November 2021 A video of a man scooping some food from large cooking pots, seemingly blowing on it and mixing it with the food in the pot has been shared on social media with the claim that he spat on the food. The video shows langar organised by the Muslim community. There are camerapersons present at the venue and people can be heard saying “Amin” once the food is mixed in the pot. BJP member Priti Gandhi was among those who shared the video. Need your valuable inputs, @zoo_bear. Can you please verify & fact check this video clip for our viewers?! Is that man actually spitting in the food that is ready to be served?? Why?? And please don’t ignore my request like you did the last time. Thanks in advance!! :)) pic.twitter.com/j0HEOB5H62 — Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) November 7, 2021 Below are tweets by BJP spokespersons Gaurav Goel and Naveen Kumar. This is ridiculous, person in the video spitting in the food. pic.twitter.com/MnArNMRDqS — Gaurav Goel (@goelgauravbjp) November 8, 2021 इस्लाम pic.twitter.com/KBEirtc62n — Naveen Kumar Jindal 🇮🇳 (@naveenjindalbjp) November 8, 2021 Several BJP supporters also amplified the claim that the man was spitting on the food. WTF 🤢🤮 Kindly fact check this @zoo_bear, see if Maulana is spitting or what…. pic.twitter.com/jiiMWfT2BM — BALA (@erbmjha) November 7, 2021 Alt News spoke with Haji Haneef Ullala, an aide of Ullal Qazi Fazal Koyamma Tangal. The Qazi is the one blowing on the food in the video. Ullala informed that a langar was held on the occasion of Urs observed from November 6 to 8 in Tajul Ulama Dargah in Kerala. Tajul Ulama, after whom the dargah is named, was a Sunni Muslim scholar in Kerala whose full name was Assayyid Abdul Rahman Al-Bukhari but he was popularly known as Ullal Thangal. He is the father of Fazal Koyamma Tangal who is seen blowing on the food. Ullal Thangal died in February 2014. His death anniversary falls in November as per the Arabic calendar. Urs is a three-day event observed on the death anniversary of a religious head. It is practised by Sufi Sunni Muslims. “After the food is prepared, the Hazrat recites verses from the Quran and blows on the food. The ritual is followed both times — when the food is prepared in the afternoon and at night,” said Haji Haneef Ullala. Peerzada Altamash, Nizami of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah, similarly told us, “The cleric is blowing on the food, not spitting. There are some in the community who follow this ritual. Even in other dargahs, some worshippers request for Dum (water that is blown upon after the recitation of Quranic verses). This is for Barkat (prosperity) and well-being. It’s to give Fatiha after the food is prepared. We don’t follow the ritual of blowing on food in our dargah. But it is followed by a few sects.” Alt News had debunked a similar video viral last year amid the outbreak of COVID. The video was shot pre-COVID but was being used to blame the Muslim community for spreading the virus by spitting on food. We had spoken to an Islamic scholar at the time who also said this is a practice where Quranic verses are read over the food to give Allah’s blessing to all. He further added, “We see a lot of people gathering outside mosques with sick children after the prayers are said. Worshippers who step out of the mosque after reading namaz are asked to blow air over these children as it is believed that it has Barkat bestowed by Allah.” While the practice of blowing on the food can be regarded as unhygienic, the claim that the video shows a maulana spitting on food is misleading. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	9th November 2021 / 8:19 pm / Last updated: 9th November 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-does-this-video-show-a-maulana-spitting-on-food/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
959	Fact-check: Dr. Dixit's ‘Two meals a day’ diet for weight-loss & diabetes - Alt News Rakesh Parikh 26th December 2018 / 8:32 pm On 20 Nov 2018, The Times of India published an article titled- ‘Two-meals-a-day’ professor to drive diabetes fight. The article quoted Dr. Jagannath Dixit who stated that, “If one follows the two meal (a day) practice, I am sure there will not only be weight loss, but it will also help in controlling diabetes. Reversal of diabetes is also possible.” Dr. Dixit is the appointed brand ambassador for tackling obesity and diabetes by the medical education department of Govt. of Maharashtra. BJP leader Girish Mahajan, who heads the medical education department, stated that ‘the reason to appoint Dr. Dixit as the brand ambassador was that his ‘diet plan’ to tackle obesity and diabetes is yielding results.’ Dr. Dixit has popularized this notion of ‘two meals a day’ by several videos on Youtube, with the most popular video with 1.6M views, as well as viral content on social media, spread largely through WhatsApp groups. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edKaI5gxaNQ Dr. Dixit claims that having only 2 meals a day, each lasting less than 55 mins, leads to significant weight loss of around 8kg in 3 months. As per Dr. Dixit, reducing the frequency of food intake, regardless of the quantity or the quality of the food, can have an impact on the insulin level. In his Marathi video below, he has also claimed that this method can potentially reverse the pre-diabetic conditions. Diabetes and obesity have emerged as the biggest health challenges in India. Calorie intake (though eating) in excess of consumption (exercise), which is then converted into excessive fat that can lead to obesity. Obesity, a surplus of energy in cells, in turn leads to insulin resistance, a condition where glucose uptake is impaired. This impairment in glucose uptake leads to higher glucose in blood terms as diabetes. Insulin resistance is the primary cause of type 2 diabetes and it occurs well before type 2 diabetes starts in humans. In addition to food intake, exercise and other lifestyle factors, genetics play a huge role in determining the risk of obesity and diabetes. While, over 90% of diabetic patients fall in this category called Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, there are several other variants of Diabetes such as type 1 with different pathophysiological mechanisms. Large rapid changes in blood glucose in diabetic patients can be hazardous and patients must maintain optimal glucose in the meal by controlling the frequency, quality and quantity of their diet. These recommendations are based on published data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses, i.e. a collective evaluation of several RCTs to increase sample size (patient numbers). Claim 1: Food intake should be no more than 55 mins long to avoid the second bout of insulin Dr. Dixit’s argument is that if one continues to eat for more than 55 minutes, a second bout of insulin (in equal amount) would be released. In addition to a low amount of continuous insulin release, insulin is released in two phases in healthy humans in larger quantities. Phase I, soon after starting the meal and, phase II, about 45 to 60 mins after the consumption of a meal. Any meal would trigger the two phases of insulin release, in proportion to the quality of the meal. However, in type 2 diabetes patients, the first phase of insulin release is impaired which produces the inability to process glucose after meals leading to postprandial hyperglycaemia. Since, the insulin release varies with food intake, it is false to claim that limiting food intake time to 55 mins can stop the phase II insulin release. Claim 2: Quantity and quality of food is irrelevant to insulin release Dr. Dixit’s claim that ‘a fixed amount of insulin is released in response to every meal irrespective of quantity and quality of meal’. In his english video, he also elaborated that even eating sweets is permissible even for diabetic patients if they follow the two meal a day diet plan. On the contrary, numerous publications with well-designed studies suggested that the insulin response is proportional to the amount of food and correlated with carbohydrate content of the food. That is, larger quantities of food releases larger doses of insulin. Food insulin index (FII), the amount of insulin released in response to a meal as against the reference food (bread), for various meal compositions has been studied and published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study showed that, when insulin level was measured in healthy people, who consumed 13 different meals with the same energy content, it strongly correlated with the insulin demand predicted by FII of the component foods. This means that, quantity and quality both, has a huge impact on the amount of insulin released, which negates the second and most dangerous claim. Claim 3: Two meals, anytime during the day, can reduce weight and possibly control diabetes Dr. Dixit suggested in his popular video, that having two meals anytime during the day, even as late as at 9 pm in the evening, can help with obesity and diabetes. We examined two contradictory studies to understand and fact-check Dr. Dixit’s statements. A study, published in 2014 in Diabetologia, with 27 type-2 diabetic patients in each group, tested this effect that compared 2 large meals which were consumed earlier in the day (e.g. lunch and breakfast) vs. 6 small meals throughout the day, and concluded that there was a significant difference in body weight and fasting plasma glucose among others. However, according to a study published in the journal ‘Diabetes Care’, two meals can lead to a significantly higher insulin response as compared to multiple meals. In 12 diabetic patients, two large meals produced greater increase in glucose and insulin release than 6 small meals, provided that the caloric consumption in two large meals were the same as six small meals. This means, that while Dr. Dixit may not be entirely wrong in suggesting the two meal a day plan. However, suggesting that the timing of the two meals are irrelevant for obesity and diabetes is factually incorrect. Also, there is far greater evidence, in reliable journals, that suggests that, if the total components of the meals are of the same calorific value, i.e. iso-caloric diets, smaller-regular meals are far better for obesity and diabetes than larger-infrequent meals. We conducted a scientific literature review on claims made by Mr. Girish Mahajan, the BJP leader, and Dr. Dixit using Google, Google scholar and PUBMED. On all portals we could not find any research in the area of obesity or diabetes with their names. However, from Dr. Dixit’s speeches, we found two articles published in a non-indexed journal called International Journal of Clinical Trials. Study 1: This study has little scientific value as the parameters such as weight and waist size were not accurately measured by a researcher using calibrated equipment and instead were taken over the phone from the patient (self-reported). Study 2: This was a preventive study in pre-diabetic patients with a sample size of 48. The results showed that HbA1C, (a parameter to measure overall glycemic load) decreased by 0.8% after 3 months of treatment. In this study, in addition to two meals a day in pre-diabetic patients, the subjects were advised to go for a 45-minute brisk walk, 5 days a week. However, another meta-analysis study of 20 randomised control trials have shown that HbA1C (maximum 0.78%) can be reduced by regular exercise alone. In particular, Dr. Dixit made a dangerous claim in the initial part of the video that diabetes patients can consume sweets as long as they stick to the two-meal diet, but later suggested that it is preferable to have more proteins instead. Dr. Dixit is associated with a social media campaign related to diabetes and obesity. The majority of case studies and experiments conducted by him are based on self-testing or self-reported measures and cannot be taken as scientific evidence. Hence, Dr. Dixit’s viral claim is not only misinformed but is potentially harmful for the pre-diabetic and type-2 diabetes patients for following reasons. For more information on guidelines for Diabetes, please visit the WHO website: https://www.who.int/diabetes/publications/en/ Dr Rakesh Parikh is a consulting physician and clinical researcher. He has several research papers to his credit and has authored chapters in medical text books. In a 2-minute video, a man recommends a “technique” to prevent infection from Omicron, the… A video of a set of iron nails that appear to melt after being placed… Several social media users have shared an image that shows two columns — ‘Cepa/variante’ (Spanish… A 90-second video of a man dissecting a banana has been shared on the internet…. The Taliban has formed an all-male government after taking over control in Afghanistan. On September…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	26th December 2018 / 8:32 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-dr-dixits-two-meals-a-day-diet-for-weight-loss-diabetes/", "author": "Rakesh Parikh" }
960	PM Modi's edited clip shared to claim he made the 'potato-gold' machine remark - Alt News Priyanka Jha 25th September 2020 / 5:37 pm Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly mocked in the last few years by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and their followers for the infamous ‘potato-gold’ machine remark. A clipped video from Gandhi’s address at a campaign rally in Gujarat during the 2017 assembly electio is used for the purpose. BJP leaders had again shared the video after Congress’s opposition to the farm bills. “Will install such a machine that if a potato is inserted from one end, gold will come out from the other end. (ऐसी मशीन लगाऊंगा इस साइड से आलू घुसेगा उस साइड से सोना निकलेगा.)” This part of Gandhi’s statement is shared time and again. In response to Alt News Fact Check, a Twitter user posted a 20-second video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23 with the claim that it was the PM who originally made the ‘potato-gold’ machine remark. In the video, PM Modi can be heard saying, “We have taken the initiative to create clusters for potatoes. A few months ago, we made a big policy related to the export of agricultural produce. I make gold from potato…and the country will get foreign exchange also (आलू के लिए क्लस्टर बनाने का बीड़ा हमने उठाया है. कुछ महीने पहले ही कृषि उत्पादकों को निर्यात करने से जुड़ी हुई एक बड़ी नीति हमने बनायी है. मैं आलू से सोना बनाना… और देश को विदेशी मुद्रा भी मिलेगी.)” The real video belongs to Modi who said it listen to this👇 pic.twitter.com/3SpFChvdAv — Naveen (@naveelaw) September 23, 2020 We found that the video was also posted by Telangana Congress co-ordinator in July with the same claim. The tweet garnered over 1,300 likes and 37,000 views. (archive link) The reality of Aloo se Sona. Modi is the one who said he can get gold from potatoes. 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Up072AgN4h — Spirit of Congress (@SpiritOfCongres) July 7, 2020 A quick scroll through the comments on the video reveals that people indeed believe PM Modi had originally made the statement. Swatantra Shukla, who is associated with Uttar Pradesh Congress, also posted the video. A cursory look at the video makes it evident that it is edited. There are several jump cuts in the video and PM Modi’s sentences seem incomplete. The sentence “I make gold from potatoes…(मैं आलू से सोना बनाना)” is joined with an independent sentence “और देश को विदेशी मुद्रा भी मिलेगी” (the country will also get foreign currency). A keyword search led us to the complete video uploaded on Bharatiya Janata Party’s YouTube channel on April 27, 2019. This is a video of a public speech delivered by PM Modi in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. Both the videos – one shared by Congress supporters and the YouTube video on BJP’s channel – start from the same point in his speech. PM Modi can be heard saying, “We have taken the initiative to create clusters for potatoes. A few months ago, we drafted a big policy related to the exports of farmers’ produce. Work is in progress to implement this policy…” It may be noted that after the phrase “we drafted a big policy” the viral video plays the ‘potatoes-gold’ machine remark. However, in the original video, PM Modi says, “Work is in progress to implement this policy.” There is also a jump-cut in the phrase “I make gold from potatoes…” We will explain how several clippings from the full video were merged. Therefore, a poorly edited video was used to ascribe the remark to PM Modi. It is noteworthy that PM Modi has also falsely attributed the statement to Rahul Gandhi. He said, “In our country, there are such intelligent and bright people who make gold out of potatoes.” In reality, Rahul Gandhi never made such a claim. On November 12, 2017, the Congress leader took a jibe at PM Modi, “A few months ago, there was a flood when (PM Modi) said ‘I will give 500 crores’. He didn’t give a single penny. He told potato farmers that he procure a machine where if you insert a potato from one end, gold will come out from the other end. This is are not my words. These are Modiji’s words.” Interestingly, there is also no basis for Rahul Gandhi’s statement because there is no public record of Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming such a machine exits. In 2017, video of Gandhi’s ‘potato-gold‘ jibe was clipped and circulated by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya. And now, Congress supporters have edited a video of PM Modi mocking Gandhi for his statement to claim that it was PM Modi who originally made the remark. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	25th September 2020 / 5:37 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-edited-video-is-being-shared-to-falsely-claim-that-aaloo-sona-machine-remarks-belongs-to-pm-modi/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
961	Fact-check: Efficacy of Ashwagandha in AYUSH standard treatment protocol for COVID-19 - Alt News Dr. Sumaiya Shaikh & Dr Sharfaroz Satani 8th November 2020 / 5:58 pm Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms such as pneumonia, clotting complications, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock are reported in many cases of the infection. While these symptoms may arise in severe cases (~19% of the total cases), symptoms like fever, headache, cough, malaise, muscle pain, sore throat, nasal congestion, etc. can occur in mild-to-moderate cases (Wu, Z. et al. 2020). However, some patients experience no symptoms of the infection and are referred to as ‘asymptomatic’. On October 6, 2020, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan released an “AYUSH standard treatment protocol” for the clinical management of COVID-19, that lists dietary measures, yoga, and Ayurvedic herbs with formulations. A long list of specific Ayurvedic recommendations for COVID-19 prevention and treatment were announced. This included the herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) for: ‘Ayush Standard Treatment Protocol’ ज़ारी करते हुए मैंने इसे एक ऐतिहासिक दिन बताया। मैं इसकी तुलना किसी साधारण Protocol से नहीं कर सकता। आयुर्वेद के लिए वैसे भी यह अच्छा दौर है। अभी संसद में भी इसे लेकर दो बिल पास किए गए, जो इसकी प्रासंगिकता को दर्शाता है।@PMOIndia @moayush pic.twitter.com/zdsS72gbaW — Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) October 6, 2020 On October 6th, 2020, Dr Harsh Vardhan claimed that this AYUSH protocol is ‘not an ordinary protocol which makes its launch a historic day.’ He further claimed that the role of Ashwagandha and other herbs like Guduchi or Giloy is established for prophylaxis of COVID-19. In this article, we will review the claims made about the efficacy of Ashwagandha against COVID-19 in the AYUSH standard treatment protocol for COVID-19. False By the time of the launch of the AYUSH protocol, various investigators had registered nine clinical trials for evaluating the efficacy of Ashwagandha against COVID-19 on the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI). This is an online public record system for registration of clinical trials being conducted in India. Such clinical trials are registered before enrolling participants to publicise the ethics approval on the methodology, provide information to potential participants and referring clinicians. The registration prevents selective reporting of desirable results and also prevents replication of the study by other researchers. 1. Clinical studies for Ashwagandha against COVID-19 A total of nine studies were registered with their respective ethics protocols on the CTRI. As per the timeline of these studies on CTRI: one out of the nine has been completed (but unpublished), three are are ‘open to recruitment’ for participants, and the remaining five have not even started. Thus, close to 50% of the studies have not started recruiting any patients for the study at the time when the AYUSH protocol was released (6th October 2020). Also, two-thirds of the studies will be conducted only in healthy people who do not have the infection. The remaining three are labelled as clinical trials in COVID-19 patients. Only one of the total three clinical trials registered is labelled as completed, the other two trials are either in the recruitment phase or have not started the study. Table 1: Summary of the registered clinical trials on Ashwagandha against COVID-19 Thus, the AYUSH treatment protocol is not based on any published evidence for Ashwagandha. 2. Ashwagandha as a preventative drug in uninfected people While there are no published clinical trials showing any efficacy of Ashwagandha in preventing COVID-19 infection, we found six protocols included in the ethics application on the CTRI website. These studies were either ongoing, or in the process of starting, but not completed. Further, the experimental methods or protocols in these six studies listed some unethical and unscientific design flaws as described in table 2 below: Table 2: The status of six unpublished, ongoing studies on Ashwagandha in healthy people to prevent COVID-19. The table also lists their sub-standard methodology that may incorporate research bias in the final data (Data from CTRI, India as of 6th October 2020). Healthy Healthy Healthy 3. Ashwagandha as a treatment measure in COVID-19 patients Unlike section 2 of testing Ashwagandha in healthy people, three studies were registered as trials for COVID-19 patients. Out of which one was found to be completed, which was the only completed study featuring Ashwagandha against COVID-19. The second study was in the recruitment phase and the third had not yet started. However, the completed study has not been published or peer-reviewed and its data is not available in the public domain. Additionally, many severe methodological flaws were found in these three studies such that even if they are completed with positive outcomes related to COVID-19, their data cannot be trusted as it will include unprecedented bias (see table 3) as compared to most clinical trials conducted in COVID-19 patients. Table 3: The status of three unpublished, ongoing studies on Ashwagandha’s effect in COVID-19 patients. The table also lists their sub-standard methodology that may incorporate research bias in the final data. The study labelled ‘*’ suggests that it has completed data collection (Table 3, study 1). However, study 1 has not been reported as published or peer-reviewed. Data from CTRI, India as of 6th October 2020. unpublished The AYUSH researchers have designed studies in healthy people using conveniently small numbers of participants with no control groups, and excluded patients with low immunity, older people, and people with other comorbidities – who are at a higher risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms. They also evaluated the herb as an immunity booster, while keeping the study outcomes ambiguous so that they can account for natural improvement of mild cases, and unchanged asymptomatic cases as proof of efficacy of the herb. Not only the reduction in the increased severity of patients but also reduction in mortality in patients should be an important primary outcome of any treatment tested against COVID-19. None of the 3 listed clinical trials on COVID-19 positive patients have set out to measure the important outcome of reduced death due to Ashwagandha treatment, even though some patients without the usual risk factors may die due to COVID-19. None of the studies of Ashwagandha measure the severity of the disease progression, in a controlled manner while being on the drug. Only 2/9 studies measure hospitalisation as one of the secondary outcomes. The one study listed as completed has not published any data, even as a preprint, to suggest any proof of efficacy that Dr Harsh Vardhan claimed as a basis of the AYUSH treatment protocol. Additionally, the protocol of these trials are based on several inclusion and exclusion criteria in such a way, that the research is only conducted in cases with low-moderate symptoms which have a good chance of recovering by itself. These trials conveniently exclude those patients that require hospitalisation after recruitment or mechanical ventilation. Thus, without including those who progressed to a severe version of the disease, it is unclear how the research will conclude the efficacy of Ashwagandha. It is without a doubt a sham way to conduct research that will always give results in the favour of the hypothesis regardless of any drug. To evaluate the efficacy of Ashwagandha, we reviewed the protocol applications on CTRI that are required to be approved by a panel from the ethical perspective of medical research. We found a total of 9 studies that were registered on Ashwagandha’s effect against COVID-19. Upon close analysis, only one study was completed on Ashwagandha, and the remaining 8 studies were either in the phase of recruitment of study participants or had not been started on the day the AYUSH protocol was released by Dr Harsh Vardhan. Without completion or published with peer review or analysing the quality of the evidence of multiple studies, the usage of herbal treatments in clinical patients is not only unethical, but also dangerous in a condition that has a high patient suffering leading to mortality. While the AYUSH ministry has been promoting alternative medicines to prevent COVID-19 since January 2020 without evidence, this promotion has taken a turn for the worse when the Minister of Health and Family Welfare (and not the AYUSH minister who had contracted COVID-19) launches alternative medicine protocols with no publically available evidence. It is essential to continue testing herbs for COVID-19 and other illnesses, but it is also imperative that they go through the same rigorous standards of scientifically designed clinical trials and peer review as any other modern medicine drug. References: He, J., Guo, Y., Mao, R., & Zhang, J. (2020). Proportion of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of medical virology. Verity, R., Okell, L., Dorigatti, I., Winskill, P., Whittaker, C., & Imai, N. et al. (2020). Estimates of the severity of coronavirus disease 2019: a model-based analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 20(6), 669-677. Straughn, A. R., & Kakar, S. S. (2019). Withaferin A ameliorates ovarian cancer-induced cachexia and proinflammatory signaling. Journal of ovarian research, 12(1), 115. Maurya, D. K., & Sharma, D. (2020). Evaluation of traditional ayurvedic preparation for prevention and management of the novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) using molecular docking approach. Balkrishna, A., POKHREL, S., Singh, J., & Varshney, A. (2020). Withanone from Withania somnifera may inhibit novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) entry by disrupting interactions between viral S-protein receptor binding domain and host ACE2 receptor. Nosalova, G., Fleskova, D., Jurecek, L., Sadlonova, V., & Ray, B. (2013). Herbal polysaccharides and cough reflex. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 187(1), 47-51. Mazza, M. G., De Lorenzo, R., Conte, C., Poletti, S., Vai, B., Bollettini, I., … & Benedetti, F. (2020). Anxiety and depression in COVID-19 survivors: Role of inflammatory and clinical predictors. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 89, 594-600. Wu, Z., & McGoogan, J. M. (2020). Characteristics of and important lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China: summary of a report of 72 314 cases from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Jama, 323(13), 1239-1242. In a 2-minute video, a man recommends a “technique” to prevent infection from Omicron, the… A video of a set of iron nails that appear to melt after being placed… Several social media users have shared an image that shows two columns — ‘Cepa/variante’ (Spanish… A 90-second video of a man dissecting a banana has been shared on the internet…. The Taliban has formed an all-male government after taking over control in Afghanistan. On September…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th November 2020 / 5:58 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-efficacy-of-ashwagandha-in-ayush-standard-treatment-protocol-for-covid-19/", "author": "Dr. Sumaiya Shaikh & Dr Sharfaroz Satani" }
962	Fact-check: Eid Milad celebrated in Kashmir's Hazratbal with the same fervor as past years? - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri & Jignesh Patel 13th November 2019 / 11:14 pm On November 9-10, Eid Milad-un-Nabi was celebrated in Kashmir’s Hazratbal shrine to observe the birth of Prophet Muhammed. According to a report in The Hindu by Kashmiri journalist Peerzada Ashiq, “All entry points to the mosque, including Habak area on the outskirts of the city and the Rainawari and Sadrabal areas in the old city, were closed for traffic. The security forces started spreading concertina wires on the streets and used mobile bunkers to block several stretches on Saturday as part of an exercise to impose restrictions.” A resident attending the prayers since 1990 told the media outlet, “It is the first time in my living memory that such a thin attendance of worshippers was observed on the auspicious occasion in Kashmir. Only locals living in nearby areas turned up for the night-long prayers…” Similar news emerged from other media outlets, including PTI which said, “Authorities on Sunday sealed all roads leading to the Hazratbal Shrine here as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in view of the Supreme Court ruling in the Ayodhya case and Eid-Milad-un-Nabi, officials said.” Local reports carried similar accounts of restrictions imposed to prevent large gatherings. However, a section of the media circulated a video to counter the claim of restrictions. Among the firsts was Republic TV’s Aditya Raj Kaul who asserted that thousands had gathered in the occasion. Soon after, the same clip was shared by Ashish Singh of ABP News, journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh and Doordarshan. News agency ANI also asserted that thousands had gathered at the shrine. Thousands prayed at Hazratbal and holy Relic Moi-e-Muqaddas was displayed as per tradition at holy Hazratbal shrine in #Srinagar. Disinformation was spread that prayers were not allowed on 10 November#FakeNews pic.twitter.com/vUD72hqN7m — Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) November 12, 2019 Ironically, Times Now broadcast a show based on the video two days later and termed it “breaking news here first.” #Breaking \| TIMES NOW accesses video proof of Hazratbal shrine truth. Lutyens lobby who claimed people were not allowed to offer prayers in Hazratbal shrine has been exposed. Details by TIMES NOW’s Pradeep Dutta. Listen in. pic.twitter.com/srDv2KGYp0 — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 12, 2019 It is noteworthy that most media outlets and journalists mentioned above claimed that disinformation was spread that the prayers were not allowed. However, this is untrue. News organisations that carried reports on Eid Milad wrote that prayers were “restricted”, not banned. Take for instance this article in The Tribune which said, “Restrictions around Hazratbal shrine to prevent big congregation on Eid Milad eve.” Quoting a Kashmiri journalist, NDTV’s Nidhi Razdan also used the word “restricted”. However, in a reply to the journalist, Aarti Tikoo Singh wrote, “A section of Indian media ran a disinformation campaign that prayers were not allowed by Indian security forces at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar on Eid Milad yesterday.” A section of Indian media ran a disinformation campaign that prayers were not allowed by Indian security forces at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar on Eid Milad yesterday. Guess, who is using this fake news the most? Pakistan. Now check this & see for yourself what the truth is. https://t.co/lMuJjqUrZV pic.twitter.com/5q8Z5FJcWS — Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) November 11, 2019 Alt News spoke with multiple freelance journalists and photojournalists from the Valley who informed that while prayers were indeed offered, the number of devotees was sparse. Photojournalist Sheikh Yamin put the strength of the gathering at around 400-500 people at 2:30 PM, which according to him was the peak time. “The gathering is usually in thousands but very few people came because of the blockade. Most people who turned up hailed from surrounding areas. The security personnel stopped vehicles, people on foot were able to enter,” Yamin added. Yamin shared visuals from the day which show a scattered gathering among security personnel. From 1:03 in the video below, some devotees can be seen offering prayers. If one were to compare publicly available photographs from November 10, 2019, with those of celebrations in Hazratbal in past years, the massive difference in the strength of the gathering is evident. In the collage below, the first image depicts recent celebrations, the second is from 2016; third, 2011 and the fourth, 2014. A freelance journalist who did not wish to be named told Alt News that at 1 PM, a cleric showed the devotees a relic believed to be a hair from the beard of the Prophet Mohammed. “Thousands of people gather for the Zuhr since the event takes place once or twice a year. Very few people had turned up in the morning. When photographers went at 1 PM, a few people from neighbouring areas had turned up. There were no restrictions on offering prayers however because of the blockade many were unable to come.” The relic is displayed not only on the occasion of Eid Milad but also on Mehraj-ul-Alam, which is believed to be the night when the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the highest levels of Heavens. This year the festival was observed in April. The photo-montage below is a comparison of the strength of the gathering then and now at the same location. The white structures visible in both images are tents. They are marked in red and yellow colours. In the April 2019 image, one of the tents in inflated. Marked in green is a raised platform where people can be seen standing. The blue boundary visible behind the trees is marked in purple. The freelance journalist also informed that the restrictions imposed due to the Ayodhya verdict can be linked to the thin attendance, which according to him was about twenty per cent of the usual strength. Since November 9 midnight, restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC came into force as a precautionary measure in the wake of the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. The verdict was announced the same day. The scanty gathering was also reported by several other Kashmiri journalists. First time in Kashmir history, devotees to miss glimpse of holy relic at Hazratbal Shrine Srinagar Indian administered Kashmir on November 10,2019,No major gathering to be allowed at revered shrine on Milad (SAW). pic.twitter.com/0wlOzO3fQE — Peerzada waseem (@waseemjourno) November 10, 2019 In contrast, the strength of the devotees was much larger last year. Tens of thousands throng Hazratbal on Friday following Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (saw)https://t.co/4XsIMh6Upf pic.twitter.com/izml2swN6j — Greater Kashmir (@GreaterKashmir) November 24, 2018 The continued lockdown in Kashmir coupled with restrictions imposed due to the Ayodhya verdict were major contributing factors to low devotee turnout at Hazratbal shrine on Eid Milad. While most reports stated the same, a few organisations and journalists shared a video to portray normalcy. However, a quick rummage through the archive of photos and videos of the event in past years establish that the situation was far from normal. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	13th November 2019 / 11:14 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-eid-milad-celebrated-in-kashmirs-hazratbal-with-the-same-fervor-as-past-years/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri & Jignesh Patel" }
963	Old image of dead birds shared as 5G technology caused the deaths - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 12th May 2021 / 2:57 pm A photograph of hundreds of dead birds has been shared with the claim that they died due to 5G technology. “I want to request the government with folded hands that please spare the lives of these birds who cannot speak for themselves,” reads the accompanying text. [Viral test: मैं सरकार से हाथ जोड़कर कहना चाह्ता हुँ के मेहरबानी करके इस बेज़ुबान परिंदों की जान बख्श दिजीये हमलोग 3G 4G से बहुत खुश है आप इसकी जिन्दगी बचा लो🙏 हमें 5G नहीं चाहिये सरकार] The claim has been shared by several Facebook users. A reverse-image search of the photograph led us to a report published by The News Minute on April 21, 2016. The article quoted Shravan Krishnan of Chennai Wildlife Rescuers saying, “The picture that has been circulating on social media is not true. The picture has been made by using the editing software Photoshop. It can be clearly figured out by seeing the people’s costumes also. If it happens in Chennai (birds dying en masse), we will be the first ones to be informed about it.” The image was viral back then with the claim that birds were dying in Chennai due to heat. Ironically, the article also quotes Kumar stating that the photograph was taken seven years ago (12 years now) in Bihar after birds consumed seeds with a high dosage of pesticides. Another reverse-image search led us to a Facebook post from March 12, 2016 which said that the incident took place in Kushtia, Bangladesh. The post carries the same image but better quality. សត្វបក្សីរាប់ពាន់ក្បាល់បានស្លាប់កាលពីល្ងាម្សិលមិញពាសពេញនៅលើដី Kushtia នៅមានភ្លៀងធ្លាក់យ៉ាងខ្លាំង …នេះជាបាតុភូតចម្លែកទៀតហើយនៅប្រទេសឥណ្ឌា Posted by You Bee – ខ្មែរ on Saturday, 12 March 2016 A Bangladeshi blogpost from March 7, 2016 also said that the incident happened in Kushtia. Alt News was unable to confirm the location of the image but it is at least five years old. The birds could not have died due to ‘5G radiation’ when 5G technology was not even introduced. Moreover, this conspiracy theory against 5G has been debunked several times in the past. Mobile phones operate in the high frequency (HF) range of the electromagnetic spectrum – from 100 kHz (0.1 MHz) to 300 GHz (3 lakh MHz), per the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). India follows ICNIRP guidelines and has one of the most stringent standards on EMF radiations. Airtel and Vodafone currently offer 4G in the 1800MHz and 2100MHz bands, while Jio uses a lower band of 800 MHz. The 2021 auction includes band range till 2,500MHz. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is in talks to open up new spectrum bands for 5G in the 3300-3600 MHz frequency range. All the above-mentioned frequency ranges are well within the permissible limit. An article in the BBC says, “The radio waves involved in 5G and other mobile phone technology sit on the low-frequency end of the electromagnetic spectrum. Less powerful than visible light, they are not strong enough to damage cells – unlike radiation at the higher frequency end of the spectrum which includes the sun’s rays and medical x-rays.” American fact-checking website Snopes spoke to Dr Eric van Rongen, a member of the Health Council of The Netherlands and the Chairman of ICNIRP, after the rumour was viral in the country. Several hundred birds and sparrows died in The Hague between October 8 and November 3, 2018, which gave birth to the rumour. “The only way one could imagine the death of birds as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields is with very high-level exposure that results in considerable heating…But the levels that are used by mobile telecom antennas are not strong enough for this to happen. There are maybe millions of such antennas around the world and this has never been reported. Even if there would have been 5G exposure, it is very unlikely that that could cause the [bird] mortality,” Dr Rongen informed. The conspiracy theory that radiation from cellular towers cause birds to die was also circulating after 2G spectrum allocation. Birds, however, are known to die of collision with communication towers. Migratory birds sometimes run into tall towers that go up to the altitudes they travel. The steady red light on top of towers also confuses birds during navigation. The claim that birds in India are dying due to 5G trials is not backed by evidence. The hoax was also viral after the release of the Tamil science fiction movie ‘2.0’ in 2018 that showed the effects of electromagnetic field radiation on birds. 5G radiation has also been blamed for the coronavirus pandemic. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. In a 2-minute video, a man recommends a “technique” to prevent infection from Omicron, the… A video of a set of iron nails that appear to melt after being placed… Several social media users have shared an image that shows two columns — ‘Cepa/variante’ (Spanish… A 90-second video of a man dissecting a banana has been shared on the internet…. The Taliban has formed an all-male government after taking over control in Afghanistan. On September…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	12th May 2021 / 2:57 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-false-claim-of-birds-dying-due-to-jio-5g-trials/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
964	Hoax photo of Pfizer 'vape' COVID vaccine made in China goes viral - Alt News Archit 24th December 2020 / 5:27 pm Since December 20, several social media users have been posting an image of a sealed pack of a Pfizer coronavirus vaccine that says “Made in China”. Twitter user @anaamika_tiwari shared the viral image and wrote, “I will not take this “Made in China” Vaccine.” (archived link) I will not take this “Made in China” Vaccine.😡 pic.twitter.com/O6SvYjC7wa — Anamika Tiwari (@anaamika_tiwari) December 21, 2020 Similarly, @rey_atl posted image and asked, “Why is the Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine MADE IN CHINA?” and added, “Perhaps this is photoshopped? Let me know.” (archived link) Perhaps this is photoshopped? Let me know. 👇 pic.twitter.com/PKkTM5zBPK — 🇺🇸Dr. Lowkey Rey🇺🇸 (@rey_atl) December 22, 2020 @TwittcrSafety sarcastically wrote, “Sweet. Now I can vape my vaccine. What a time to be alive”, as the package also contained the following information — “1 ml, Single Dose, Vapourizer Cartridge”. Sweet. Now I can vape my vaccine. What a time to be alive. pic.twitter.com/hsmqMqQ0Mo — Twittеr Safety ➐ (@TwittcrSafety) December 20, 2020 The viral image has been published by several news websites including Lokmat English, TFI Post, Siasat Daily and The India Print. Each of these reports, except the last, is attributed to IANS. Several Facebook users also posted the viral image. If one notices carefully, the text below the Pfizer logo reads — Makers of “The Boner Pill”, which suggests that the image has been humorously made, as pointed out by Reuters as well. Alt News performed a reverse image search and found that the viral image was posted on Funny sub-Reddit forum but later removed by the moderators. The image has also been circulating on Twitter as a satirical post. i bet y’all would get the vaccine if it came like this pic.twitter.com/dLEL7FunD6 — ed (@edxardo8) December 19, 2020 Reuters contacted Pfizer who confirmed by email the vaporiser cartridge was fake. How is Pfizer’s vaccine administered? According to Pfizer’s product catalogue, the COVID-19 vaccine is called “Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as BNT162b2)”. The product page also directs to two separate fact-sheets — 1) recipient and caregivers 2) healthcare providers administering vaccine. These documents were updated in December. As per the ‘healthcare providers administering’ vaccine fact-sheet, “The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is a suspension for intramuscular injection administered as a series of two doses (0.3mL each) 3 weeks apart.” Thus the suggestion that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is a 1 ml single-dose vaporizer cartridge is false. United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) also states, “The COVID-19 vaccine is given as an injection into your upper arm. It’s given as 2 doses, at least 21 days apart.” Is Pfizer’s vaccine manufactured in China? Pfizer has four manufacturing centres in China but none of them has been used to manufacture the coronavirus vaccine. The company has listed specific locations from where the vaccines will be shipped. These are a part of its U.S. and European manufacturing networks. The vaccines will be shipped from the following locations: 1) Kalamazoo, US 2) Puurs, Belgian 3) Pleasant Prairie, US 4) Karlsruhe, Germany Thus the image that allegedly shows a product with Pfizer’s brand was shared on the internet with the claim that COVID-19 vaccine has been manufactured in China. This image also misinforms about how the vaccine will be administered. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th December 2020 / 5:27 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-false-claim-of-pfizer-branded-coronavirus-vaccine-vaporizer-cartridge-has-gone-viral/", "author": "Archit" }
965	India's UNSC Presidency is not for the 'first' time - Alt News Priyanka Jha 7th August 2021 / 7:28 pm Facebook page ‘Namo India‘ recently posted a graphic that read, “From today onwards the command of the world is in the hands of India. India will take over the Presidency of UNO (UNSC). Several countries including Turkey, Pakistan were furious. India will preside over the United Nations for the first time.” The page also shared the graphic on two other Facebook groups named Sudhir Chaudhary and Arnab Goswami Official. While India will indeed preside over the UNSC, this is neither unique to the country nor is it for the first time. However, PM Modi will be the first Prime Minister of India to chair an open debate at the UN Security Council. India first presided over the UN Security Council in 1950. Since then, it has been a non-permanent member of the council for several terms. According to the official UN website, chairmanship of the Security Council is given to each of the members for a month. India will hold the Security Council Presidency for the month of August. Council members are appointed in alphabetical order. As seen in the image below, India’s membership will end on December 31, 2022. India is a member of the council during the present term (2021-2022). The UN Security Council consists of 15 members including five permanent members. The remaining 10 members are elected for two years. China, France, Russia, UK and the US are the permanent members. India has been trying to become a permanent member of the council for years, but has been unsuccessful due to a lack of votes. The five permanent members have the ‘right to veto’, meaning that if any of these countries do not agree with any resolution, it cannot be passed. China is the biggest hurdle towards India’s permanent membership in the Security Council. Overall, the claim on social media about India holding the Presidency of the UN Security Council for the first time is completely false. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	7th August 2021 / 7:28 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-first-time-india-will-preside-the-un-security-council-false-claim-viral-on-social-media/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
966	Fact check: Has Dr. Manmohan Singh been awarded as the 'strongest PM in the world'? - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 1st August 2018 / 8:55 pm / Last updated: 2nd August 2018 Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been bestowed with an award for being the strongest Prime Minister in the world, if social media is to be believed. The website Viral in India had published an article on June 16, 2018 which was titled “मोदी नहीं, मनमोहन सिंह को मिला सबसे शक्तिशाली पीएम का अवार्ड, पढ़िए खबर” (Not Modi, Manmohan Singh receives award for strongest PM in the world, read the report- translated). Viral in India is owned and managed by Abhishek Mishra, who claims to be a ‘News/Media personality’ and an ‘RTI activist’. The article says, “जापान जैसे समृद्ध देश ने उनके योगदान को देखते हुए अपने देश के सबसे बड़े पुरस्कार द ग्रैंड कॉर्डन ऑफ द ऑर्डर ऑफ पॉआलोनिया फ्लाअर्स से सम्मानित करने का फैसला किया.” (A prosperous country like Japan has acknowledged his contribution and honoured him with the biggest award, ‘The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers’- translated). Subsequently, a website called Desh Yug published the same report on July 4, 2018 and recently on July 29, 2018, a website Headline24 also published an article with a slightly different take, claiming Dr. Singh has been declared the most capable PM. Expectedly, this claim quickly found its way to Facebook where many individual users posted it on their timelines. Twitter wasn’t immune either- a Twitter handle @roflravish which claims to be a ‘parody fan’s club’ and has a massive following of over 172,000 posted a tweet with a link to the Headline24 article. It was also tweeted by Chandigarh Congress on July 29. मेरे बाद जमाना मुझे याद करेगा…https://t.co/LO95CrgwT8 — Chandigarh Congress (@INCChandigarh) July 29, 2018 The article by Viral in India mentions that Dr. Singh has been honoured with ‘The Grand Cordon of the Ordor of the Paulownia Flowers’, a rare civilian honour. This is among the highest awards conferred by the Government of Japan. It is indeed true that Japan has honoured Dr. Singh with this award. However, it must be noted that he had been awarded in 2014 and not at present, as claimed by these articles. This had been reported by the Indian media in 2014. According to an article by The Hindu, “A statement by the Japanese Embassy said Dr. Singh “will be bestowed [the honour] in recognition of his significant contributions to the enhancement of relations and the promotion of friendship between Japan and Indiafor about 35 years.” It had also been reported by TV news channels. It may be noted that there is no reference to ‘strongest’ or ‘most capable’ PM with respect to this order. In May 2018, Alt News had busted a claim floating on social media that Dr. Manmohan Singh has been declared the most honest political leader by the White House. In this instance, while the claim that Dr Singh has been bestowed with Japan’s civilian honour is not incorrect, it is an old event which is now being circulated as a recent development. The fact that this claim refers to how PM Modi has failed to make the cut suggests an organised political objective and campaign on the part of those who have circulated it. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	1st August 2018 / 8:55 pm / Last updated: 2nd August 2018	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-has-dr-manmohan-singh-been-awarded-as-the-strongest-pm-in-the-world/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
967	Fact-check: Has Indian passport strengthened under PM Modi as claimed by Amit Shah? - Alt News Archit 20th October 2021 / 4:37 pm On October 14, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed BJP members at a Karyakarta Sammelan in Goa. One of the claims Shah made during the address was that the strength of the Indian passport has increased under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, “Perception towards the country has changed. Those who travel abroad… this [Goa] is the state of sailors. Ask now, when the passport of India was shown in past and now… the moment Indian passport is shown… the face lights up with a smile… on the face of foreign staff and they enquire “You are from Modi Ji’s country?” The task of increasing the Indian passport’s value was done by PM Modi. This happened because [we form] a majoritarian government.” [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8rcH7yFMUg?start=1581] Several media outlets, including The Indian Express, The Times of India, OneIndia and Newsd, reported this without verifying the veracity of the statement. Amit Shah takes dig at Manmohan Singh, says PM Modi has enhanced value of Indian passport https://t.co/bg12MUgWPi — The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) October 15, 2021 Based on Home Minister Shah’s statement, one cannot ascertain which source he is referring to measure the strength of the Indian passport. The strength of a passport means the number of countries one can access without a visa. The most commonly used index is Henley Passport Index (HPI). While there are other passport indexes, HPI has been cited by the Government of India. Two years ago, Alt News debunked a similar claim when it was made by PM Modi on Times Now. As of 2021, India’s rank is 90 which is 16 spots lower than the rank in 2013 under the leadership of former PM Manmohan Singh. What is Henley Passport Index? HPI ranks all passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As per their website, “For each travel destination, if no visa is required for passport holders from a country or territory, then a score with a value = 1 is created for that passport.” To learn more about the methodology, visit their website. In 2019, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan cited Henley Passport Index data to respond to queries regarding Indian passport in the Lok Sabha. Responding to the question on passport strength, V Muraleedharan wrote, “These initiatives are expected to encourage other countries to reciprocate and facilitate the travel of Indian passport holders to their countries. As more countries permit Indian passport holders to visit Visa-Free or grant them Visa on Arrival facility, the rank of the Indian passport on the Henley Passport Index is expected to improve.” India’s HPI rank during UPA vs BJP government Henley Passport Index’s data is available from 2006 onwards. Thus, the index isn’t available for Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s term (1998-2004) and two years of Manmohan Singh’s term (2004-2005). The following table lists HPI rank and access to countries based on Indian passport from 2006 to 2021. PM Modi was elected in 2014. [Dislcaimer: The lastest HPI ranks for India in 2015 (84) and 2018 (86) have been revised since our report in 2019. Alt News wrote to Sarah Nicklin, Group Head of Public Relations at Henley & Partners. She said, “The reason they differ slightly is that we do quarterly updates of the index so the ranking shifts over the course of the year as visa policies change. However, for the historic ranking and scores, we always go with what it was in the last quarter of any particular year.”] Time and again it has been claimed that PM Modi has increased the strength of the Indian passport. However, our passport has not seen a significant increase in access to countries. Under former PM Singh, the Indian passport’s highest access to countries was 52 countries in 2013, while under PM Modi it was 60 in 2018. As of today, in 2021, an Indian passport can access 58 countries. This is more than the countries we could access in 2013. So why is India’s 2021 HPI rank (90) lower when compared with 2013 (74)? The reason is simple, it’s because the HPI rank is dependent on the performance of other countries. We asked Nicklin the following question, “Based on HPI, is it accurate to say that India’s passport has strengthened since 2013? If yes, would you say that the change is significant?” She replied, “No, the strength of the Indian passport relative to the other 198 passports on the Henley Passport Index has not strengthened since 2013. Overall, there has been a decline in its ranking from 74 on the index in 2013 to 90 position in 2021 (a fall of 16 places over the past 8 years).” The following chart, shared by Nicklin, shows the change in India’s HPI rank over the years. To conclude, the Indian passport can access more countries without VISA under the BJP government when compared to the UPA government. However, since 2013, Indian passports can access only six more countries when compared to 2021. Furthermore, the Indian passport’s strength has decreased globally as India’s HPI rank has dropped to 90. Thus, Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that PM Modi has enhanced the value of the Indian passport is misleading and not worth boasting as an achievement. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	20th October 2021 / 4:37 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-has-indian-passport-strengthened-under-pm-modi-as-claimed-by-amit-shah/", "author": "Archit" }
968	Fact check: Has the rupee-dollar exchange rate slipped by only one rupee since 2014? - Alt News Jignesh Patel 30th June 2018 / 5:10 pm / Last updated: 9th July 2018 “Under gold medalist Havard economist 1 Dollar – Rs 39(2008) 1 Dollar – Rs 68 (2014) Under Chaiwala 1 Dollar – Rs 68(2014) 1 Dollar – Rs 69(2018) What this all Ranty-Rona all about?” This message which is viral on social media makes a comparison between the exchange rate of United States Dollar(USD) to Indian Rupee(INR) during the term of “gold medalist Havard economist” (Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) and “Chaiwala” (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). The viral message questions the public rage(#RupeeAllTimeLow) against the rupee’s lifetime record fall against the dollar by suggesting that the Rupee vs Dollar equation deteriorated much more during UPA-II than the present regime and that the rupee-dollar exchange rate slipped by only one rupee in the period 2014-2018. The Indian currency had slipped to an all-time low, pegged at Rs.69.0925 to the dollar on June 28, 2018. The message was posted by a Twitter user called Squint Neon(@squintneon) on June 28, 2018 and got retweeted over 1000 times. Under gold medalist Havard economist 1 Dollar – Rs 39(2008) 1 Dollar – Rs 68 (2014) Under Chaiwala 1 Dollar – Rs 68(2014) 1 Dollar – Rs 69(2018) What this all Ranty-Rona all about? — Squint Neon (@squintneon) June 28, 2018 Moreover, the claim has also been shared on Facebook and Twitter. The above post tries to suggest that the value of INR against USD when Dr. Manmohan Singh demitted office and Narendra Modi assumed office was 68. According to a website www.exchange-rates.org, the value of rupee against US dollar on May 17, 2014, the day Dr. Singh demitted the office of Prime Minister was 58.57. In the period Jan 1, 2014 to May 16, 2014, the INR-USD exchange rate was highest on Jan 27, 2014 at 1 USD = 63.10 INR. While the exchange rate of USD to INR on May 26, 2014, the day Narendra Modi was sworn as the Prime Minister of India, was 58.66. However, the historical data on exchange rates of USD to INR from the Wall Street Journal shows that the value of rupee did fall to a low of 68.8 on Aug 28, 2013. The red arrow on the graph posted below delineates the point of fall. In the graph below, the first arrow points at the previous record low at Rs 68.86 per dollar on November 24, 2016, which was reported in an article published by NDTV Profit, while the second arrow points to the all-time low on June 28, 2018. Thus, the claim that the value of INR against USD has depreciated by just 1 from INR 68 to INR 69 in the period 2014-2018 stands patently false as the value of INR to USD when Prime Minister Narendra assumed office was Rs 58.66 while the present value is in excess of 68. The fluctuations in the exchange rate of the rupee to the dollar have been invoked on numerous occasions by political parties across the board to target the opposition, often resorting to selectivity with regard to data to bolster their claims. This latest assertion is no exception to this tendency and seeks to mislead citizens. Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University. On August 16, while responding to queries by the media on the ongoing issue of… Several social media users have shared a purported break-up of fuel prices that claims state… On February 26, Uttar-Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted in Hindi, “Despite the global economic… After the fifth increase in LPG refill prices since December 2020, except for a meagre… On August 22, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) tweeted an infographic listing the projected Gross…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	30th June 2018 / 5:10 pm / Last updated: 9th July 2018	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-has-the-rupee-dollar-exchange-rate-slipped-by-only-one-rupee-since-2014/", "author": "Jignesh Patel" }
969	Fact-check: HDFC Bank insures Rs 1 lakh deposit per account holder - Alt News Jignesh Patel 18th October 2019 / 7:07 pm / Last updated: 19th October 2019 “RBI…पूरी तैयारी में, banks डूबने की कगार पर, legal framework लगभग पूरा..आप भी तैयारी करिये, जरूरत के माफिक ही एकाउंट में रखे..HDFC बैंक ने पासबुक में stamp लगानी शुरू कर दी, की आपका पैसा 1 लाख तक ही insured है यानी बैंक अगर डूबती है तो आपको 1 लाख ही मिलेगा…बाकी आप खुद समझदार है, क्या आप चाहेंगे कि आपके साथ PMC जैसा कांड हो (RBI is completely prepared, on the verge of sinking, including the legal framework, you also be prepared, only deposit as per your requirement. HDFC has started putting a stamp that your money is insured till 1 lakh rupees only. You will only get 1 lakh rupees if the bank sinks. Rest, you are wise enough. Would you want that a PMC type fraud happens to you -translated)” The above message is circulating on WhatsApp with a screenshot of a bank passbook with a stamp on it. The stamp reads, “The deposit of the banks are insured with DICGC and in case of liquidation of the bank, DICGC is liable to pay each depositor through the liquidator. The amount of his deposit upto rupees one lakh within two months from the date of the claim list from the liquidator.” Twitter user Jitendra Ahwad posted the screenshot with the message, “ONE LAKH ONLY is safe in private”. He claimed that according to this document, banks are not liable to take responsibility of deposits over one lakh rupees. HDFC BANK Using Stamp on Passbook and declaring they are not liable to take the responsibility over one Lakh….that means savings upto ONE LAKH ONLY is safe in Private Banks pic.twitter.com/naWjMXRcod — Dr.Jitendra Awhad (@Awhadspeaks) October 16, 2019 HDFC officials have reportedly said that the message was aimed at raising awareness just like a statutory declaration given for mutual funds in their commercials that they are subject to market risk. “None of us should have cause for concern whatsoever”, tweeted HDFC in a clarification thread to reassure its customers on October 17, 2019. The bank further added that the information [in form of a stamp] on the passbook has been inserted as per RBI circular dated June 22, 2017, which requires all banks including Small Finance Banks and Payments Banks to incorporate information about ‘deposit insurance cover’ along with the limit of coverage upfront in the passbook. HDFC Bank Corporate Communication head Neeraj Jha also tweeted the statement issued by the bank. Replying to a tweet that questioned the timing of implementation, Jha clarified, “No. It’s only when the customer comes asking for a passbook. And when he does, bank has to ensure this disclosure is inserted if not already printed therein. That’s law as per RBI Circular of 22 June 2017. “ No. It’s only when the customer comes asking for a passbook. And when he does, bank has to ensure this disclosure is inserted if not already printed therein. That’s law as per RBI Circular of 22 June 2017. 😃 — Neeraj Jha (@NeerajHDFCBank) October 17, 2019 “Banks shall also incorporate information about ‘deposit insurance cover’ along with the limit of coverage, subject to change from time to time, upfront in the passbooks.”, reads the RBI circular issued on June 22, 2017. The document applies to all Scheduled Commercial Banks including Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks, and Payments Banks. According to RBI’s website, in 1962, India became the second country in the world after the USA to introduce deposit insurance. “Deposit insurance was seen as a measure of protection to depositors, particularly small depositors, from the risk of loss of their savings arising from bank failures. The purpose was to avoid panic and to promote greater stability and growth of the banking system – what in today’s argot are termed financial stability concerns.”, explains RBI. A deposit insurance scheme covers banks deposits including savings, fixed and recurring with an insured bank, according to a Mint explainer published on October 16, 2019. “It is to be noted that under the current bank deposit insurance scheme in case of an unlikely bank failure deposits up to ₹1 lakh is insured and paid back to the depositor”, stated the article. The guarantee that is given to the depositor can be released only if the bank gets closed. In cases of an ongoing concern, the bank guarantee will not be released. All the deposits maintained by the depositors across all branches of the failed bank are clubbed together. However, deposits that are maintained with different banks to be treated separately. For example, if a person has deposited money in different branches of the bank, they will be paid only Rs 1 lakh for the total amount deposited in all the branches. These deposits are insured by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), which is a subsidiary of Reserve Bank of India. The agency does not charge any premium from the bank depositors but banks do pay a nominal premium for the cover. In conclusion, it is true that deposits up to Rs 1 lakh are insured with banks. However, this is only in case a bank fails. Deposit insurance protects the depositors from losing their money in full. It ensures part recovery. So in case of a bank failure, a depositor doesn’t lose all their money. The limit was set many years ago and may not be relevant today (Considering the change in valuation of rupee across the years). The government is reportedly considering to review the deposits guarantee limit. The last revised limit came into effect on May 1, 1993, when it was increased from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,00,000. Furthermore, this regulation that the banks have to incorporate information about ‘deposit insurance cover’ along with the limit of coverage upfront in the passbook has been in place since 2017. Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	18th October 2019 / 7:07 pm / Last updated: 19th October 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-hdfc-bank-insures-rs-1-lakh-deposit-per-account-holder/", "author": "Jignesh Patel" }
970	Video shared with false claim that a temple was set abalze in Kashmir; anti-Muslim posts circulate - Alt News Kinjal 12th October 2021 / 4:39 pm / Last updated: 12th October 2021 A video of a row of houses on fire is being shared on social media with the claim that a temple was set on fire in Kashmir’s Zainpora area. The video has been shared against the backdrop of a spate of recent attacks against the minority Hindu and Sikh communities in Kashmir. Militant outfit, The Resistant Force (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack in a school where two teachers were killed. 👆🏻One more bad news .. Temple situated at zainpora shopian burnt by some unknown person…More details awaiting Fwd as received Posted by Vinod Kumar Sarvodaya on Thursday, October 7, 2021 Twitter handle ‘@SarahLGates1‘ posted this video and wrote that there was an “arson terrorist attack” on a temple in Shopian. The video amassed 2,683 views before being deleted. User ‘@singh55_‘ also tweeted the visuals alleging that Muslims were behind the alleged attack. Alt News performed a keyword search which led us to a tweet by DD News Srinagar dated October 7. It stated that a fire had broken out in the Parimpora area of Srinagar. Approximately 20 sheds gutted in a massive fire at Parimpora locality in Srinagar. Fire and Emergency Services has contained the fire. pic.twitter.com/bRSn8N3iZ2 — DD NEWS SRINAGAR (@ddnewsSrinagar) October 7, 2021 Local outlet ‘Greater Kashmir‘ had published an article about this incident. According to the article, a few houses had caught fire in Parimpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. Speaking to Global News Service (GNS), officials from the Fire Department revealed that the burnt buildings included some wooden structures and houses. They suspected that the accident was caused by a short circuit. Other outlets like Kashmir Patriot and QNS TV also covered the fire. However, there is no mention of a temple being burnt anywhere in these reports. Noor Mohammad Sheikh of Jammu and Kashmir’s ‘Apni Party’ met with members of the affected locality. #ApniParty grieved over a massive blaze in #Parimpora ‘Noor Mohammad Sheikh visit affected locality, demands ex-gratia for the fire victims’ Statement here: https://t.co/He1r3Q7b8m pic.twitter.com/CXdTDUE0eg — J&K Apni Party (@Apnipartyonline) October 7, 2021 Thus, a video of a fire that broke out in Srinagar’s Parimpora area was falsely shared with a communal angle. The claim that a temple was set ablaze by Muslims is false. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media….	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	12th October 2021 / 4:39 pm / Last updated: 12th October 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-hindu-temple-brunt-by-muslims-in-kashmir-false-claim/", "author": "Kinjal" }
971	No, this is not Facebook's Ankhi Das cutting tricoloured cake - Alt News Kinjal 25th August 2020 / 10:30 pm Two pictures of a lady cutting a tricoloured cake are widely shared on social media. It is being claimed that she is Facebook India’s Public Policy Director, Ankhi Das, disrespecting the national flag. Das has been in the news after an investigative report published by The Wall Street Journal revealed that she blocked applying Facebook’s hate speech rules to Hindu nationalists and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Many users said that if an Indian Muslim had cut a tricoloured cake, the act would’ve received immense outrage and condemnation. Facebook user Abdul Najeeb Khan shared these pictures with the same claim, which was shared 3,300 times. (Archive) Across Twitter and Facebook, these pictures are being shared with the same caption: “देश का अपमान नहीं सहेगा हिंदुस्तान की आंखी दास ने तिरंगे का केक बनाकर काटा अगर यही काम किसी मुसलमान ने किया होता मीडिया से लेकर नेता तक विधवा विलाप करने लगते।” Alt News also received multiple requests on WhatsApp (+91 7600011160) to verify these claims. Upon conducting a reverse-image search, we found a post from August 16 by Sangeeta Bahadur, who is the Indian Ambassador to Belarus. The post mentioned that the Indian Embassy in Minsk celebrated the 74th Independence Day. “In the midst of the ongoing turmoil in Belarus, we celebrated India’s 74th Independence Day at the Embassy in Minsk. Our fears that the very difficult situation in the city would keep most people away proved, however, to be unfounded. Not only did the miniscule but very patriotic Indian community and students turn out in full force; even our Belarusian friends joined us in substantial numbers and participated in the event with affectionate enthusiasm,” she wrote in a post dated August 16. It includes the same picture of Bahadur cutting the cake. In the midst of the ongoing turmoil in Belarus, we celebrated India’s 74th Independence Day at the Embassy in Minsk. Our… Posted by Sangeeta Bahadur on Saturday, 15 August 2020 Apart from this, Sangeeta Bahadur and Ankhi Das have facial dissimilarities especially the eyes and nose. The website of the Indian Embassy in Belarus had also shared pictures of the recent independence day celebrations. Sangeeta Bahadur can be seen in these pictures. Pictures Indian Ambassador to Belarus Sangeeta Bahadur cutting a tricoloured cake during independence day celebrations was shared with the false claim that she is Facebook India’s Public Policy Director, Ankhi Das. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	25th August 2020 / 10:30 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-image-of-ambassador-sangita-bahadur-cutting-tricolor-cake-shared-as-facebook-public-policy-director-ankhi-das/", "author": "Kinjal" }
972	Woman burnt in MP falsely claimed to be raped-murdered by Muslim man in Rajasthan - Alt News Kinjal 8th October 2020 / 3:12 pm An image of a half-burnt body of a woman is shared on social media. It is being claimed that she is Payal Jain, a 13-year-old girl, who was raped and burnt by one Rizwan Ansari. The image is circulating in the backdrop of a national outrage over the alleged gang-rape of a Dalit woman in UP’s Hathras who succumbed to her injuries on September 29. Facebook user Ashok Singh posted the image with the viral claim. At the time of writing this article, the post was shared more than 1,700 times. We have blurred the image of the body due to its graphic nature. The image was also shared on Facebook group ‘आरएसएस समर्थक (RSS supporters) Group’. It has been shared over 1,100 times. It is also being shared on Twitter. With a Google reverse image search, we found that the same image was tweeted by Congress member Gaurav Pandhi on October 2, 2020. The tweet also carried a clipping of news report dated September 30. According to the Indore Samachar news clipping, the incident is from Manawar village of Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district. At the time when this report was published, the police were still investigating the matter. On October 4, Dainik Bhaskar reported that a man along with his friend shot a woman and later burnt her body. The man wanted to cut ties with the woman whom he was in love with. According to the report, the name of the accused are Govind and Sohan. In a conversation with Alt News, Dhar SP Aditya Pratap Singh said that the incident has no communal angle to it. Both the accused and the victim are from the Bhil community. He further informed that while the police has arrested Sohan, Govind is still absconding. You can watch a video from Dhar SP’s press conference here. The Quint had earlier fact-checked this image on October 5. Therefore, an image of a woman who was shot and immolated over a personal dispute in Madhya Pradesh was shared on social media with a false communal angle. It was falsely claimed that a Muslim man in Rajasthan raped and later burnt a 13-year-old girl from the Hindu community. Earlier, an image of a woman constable who died in a road accident in Punjab was given a false narrative of rape and murder on social media. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th October 2020 / 3:12 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-image-of-half-brunt-dead-woman-shared-with-false-communal-angle/", "author": "Kinjal" }
973	Domestic violence case from Bangladesh given a 'love Jihad' spin in India - Alt News Kinjal 28th September 2020 / 2:29 pm / Last updated: 28th September 2020 A few pictures of an unknown woman have been going viral on social media with claims that she is a victim of love jihad. In the first picture, she is seen standing next to a man. The second and third pictures show some bruises and injuries on the woman’s face and body. Users are claiming that these pictures are from Kerala. They assert that the woman is a Hindu and the person standing next to her is her husband who is from the Muslim community. On August 25, these pictures were posted on a Facebook group called ‘Sonu Thakur Yogi Adityanath Bhakt Team‘. The post received 2,200 likes and had been shared 547 times at the time of writing. These photos were also shared on Facebook and Twitter with the same claim. केरल में फिर एक लड़की #लव_जिहाद की शिकार हर लड़की शुरू में कहती है मेरा अब्दुल दूसरे मुसलमानों जैसा नही है,बहुत नेक है लेकिन जब आंखें खुलती हैं तब लड़कियों के सामने तीन अंजाम होते हैं या तो सूटकेस में दफन मिलती है या कोठे पर बेच दी जाती है या बच्चा पैदा करने वाली मशीन बन जाती है pic.twitter.com/wbFg3goRpA — Sandeep Rajliwal (@Srajliwalbjp) July 29, 2020 Upon a reverse image search of the first viral photo, we came across a news report by the Dhaka Tribune from June 26, 2020. This report said that the woman was a victim of domestic violence and identified her as Sumaiya Hassan from Dhaka, Bangladesh. On June 26, 2020, she had shared a few pictures on Facebook showing her injuries. In the post, she accused her husband and in-laws of beating her for dowry. Taking cognizance of Sumaiya’s post, the in-charge of Dhaka’s Shahbagh police station questioned Sumaiya’s husband Zahid Hassan. According to the police, Sumaiya and Zahid had gotten married a few years ago. They were facing marital problems and Sumaiya had filed a complaint against her in-laws earlier. However, the family later sorted the issue amongst themselves. One of the other photos of her was included in a different article by the Dhaka Tribune on June 27, 2020. According to the report, she had posted six pictures on Facebook on June 26. Within a few hours, her post became viral. She claimed that her husband and brother-in-law were both drug addicts. Sumaiya also claimed that she was afraid of speaking out because her in-laws had threatened to kill her younger brother. The report mentioned that the police had arrested Zahid. Abdurrahim, Sumaiya’s father-in-law, denied allegations of the family’s involvement. He said that Zahid used to beat Sumaiya and other family members had nothing to do with the domestic abuse. The report does not suggest that Sumaiya was a Muslim convert. The photos had been shared from Sumaiya’s personal Facebook account, which she later deleted with an explanation. She wrote that many people who were concerned about her did not know that the issue had been resolved. She then requested people not to further share the images. She said that the police had asked her to file a complaint in the matter. However, she told the police that she did not want to register a case. Sumaiya instead chose to reconcile with her husband keeping in mind their 8-month old baby’s future. Plz sobai shere kore den amn onk a jne na j amr problem thik hoise Amar facebook status dekhe police bishoyti amole… Posted by Sumaiya Hassan on Saturday, 27 June 2020 In one of Sumaiya’s posts on Facebook, she is in the same clothes spotted in the viral pictures. Therefore, images of a domestic violence victim from Bangladesh were shared as India. It was falsely claimed that that the woman was a Hindu trapped in ‘love jihad’. Unrelated incidents are often shared with a fictional ‘love jihad’ spin on social media. You can read our fact-check reports on these incidents here. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	28th September 2020 / 2:29 pm / Last updated: 28th September 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-images-from-bangladesh-shared-with-false-love-jihad-angle/", "author": "Kinjal" }
974	Fact-check: Imported fabric used for uniforms of Indian armed forces? - Alt News Archit 8th December 2020 / 10:48 am In the last week of November, several Twitter users claimed, “Did you know that till date India used to import cloth for defence uniforms from countries like China?” Twitter user @DoctorAjayita posted this claim and backed it up with a report by Ahmedabad Mirror (archived link). Her tweet gained over 500 retweets (archived link). Did you know that till date India used to import cloth for defence uniforms from countries like China? Now for the first time, Surat textile industry will manufacture the cloth. First order for 10 Lakh meters is already placed, to be delivered by Jan 2021. #AatmanirbharBharat 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/XMiuxP6lBD — Dr. Ajayita (@DoctorAjayita) November 25, 2020 Around November 23, Ahmedabad Mirror (archived link) reported that the fabric for uniforms of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force which used to be imported will now be manufactured in Surat. “In another first… Surat’s textile industry receives orders to manufacture 10 lakh metre of fabric for uniforms of Army, Navy and Air Force; delivery to be done by Jan 2021. Till now the fabrics were imported from China, Korea and Taiwan,” according to the article. The report further added that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) held a meeting where a request was put forth regarding manufacturing fabrics as per the requirement of the armed forces. The DRDO is the research wing of the Ministry of Defence. Ahmedabad Mirror‘s report includes a video by ANI titled ‘Surat textile company receives orders to manufacture fabric for uniforms of defence personal’. As per the video, Lakshmipati Group has received order to make fabric for ‘uniforms of defence personnel’. Ahmedabad Mirror has not specified the type of military uniforms, giving the impression that the fabric will be used to manufacture daily uniforms for the armed forces. But in fact, this fabric is used to make multiple military applications including making specific clothing, but not daily wear uniforms. National security and strategic affairs analyst Mandeep Singh Bajwa replied to @DoctorAjayita tweeting, “Fake news. Uniforms were always stitched from Indian-manufactured fabric.” Fake news. Uniforms were always stitched from Indian-manufactured fabric. https://t.co/mB0djdQcpN — Mandeep Singh Bajwa (@MandeepBajwa) November 25, 2020 In the armed forces, apart from daily wear uniforms, there are various types of uniforms based on ceremonies such as parades, receiving dignitaries, funeral and social events. When in the field, gear such as bulletproof vests, arms and ammunition and parachutes can be regarded as a part of the uniform. Readers should note that in 2019, several media outlets — The Economic Times, The Indian Express and The Eurasian Times — reported that protective gear/ bulletproof jackets for the Indian Army were imported from China. Col Rajendra Bhaduri (Retd.) told Alt News, “The section which claims that “fabrics were imported from China, Korea and Taiwan” can be interpreted as daily wear uniforms of Army, Navy and Air Force officers. As per the article, DRDO approved [fabric] sample order by Surat-based textile manufacturers. Therefore, the said fabric can’t be the same as the fabric which is used by military personnel as their daily wear. The said fabric is likely a technical one used in specialised applications like bulletproof vests, rucksacks, parachutes, special forces clothing etc.” Alt News spoke with serving military officials, veterans and fabric experts to understand the process. “The officers in all the three armed forces have to get their own daily wear uniforms stitched with the help of a ‘uniform allowance’ alloted to them, while the uniforms to Personnel Below Officers Ranks (PBOR) are provided by the concerned government authority. Historically PBOR uniforms are manufactured by the Ordinance Clothing Factories, a unit of government body Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) at Shahjahanpur and Avadi. As of today, all armed forces personnel are given a uniform allowance. I’m a third-generation military officer in my family and I have never heard any officer purchasing imported fabric to make their official uniform,” said Bhaduri. Gagan Chaturvedi, deputy director-general, corporate communications at Ordinance Factory Board further told us, “Since 2018, Junior commissioned officer and PBORs cadre of the armed forces is entitled to a dress allowance. A list of dress allowance items has also been declared. The production of these dress allowance items has been discontinued in the OEF group. As a result, we manufacture combat uniforms and other products which can be viewed in our catalogue. Yet, the OFB remains the largest suppliers of uniform in the organised sector. As per latest available data, in 2017-18 the OFB manufactured uniforms, troop comfort items and combat gear comprising Coat Combat Army Logo, Combat Uniforms, Overall Combination Army Logo and Infantry Combat Kits. The fabric used for manufacturing all items for military products is entirely from India.” In 2018, Gautam Singhania, chairman and managing director at Raymond had tweeted, “General Rawat Chief of Indian Army today launched @TheRaymondLtd uniform for Army and Indian airforce which will be made available through CSD. #IndianArmy #AirForce #Raymond #Proud” General Rawat Chief of Indian Army today launched @TheRaymondLtd uniform for Army and Indian airforce which will be made available through CSD. #IndianArmy #AirForce #Raymond #Proud pic.twitter.com/1om69vRt6M — Gautam Singhania (@SinghaniaGautam) April 2, 2018 We spoke to a Chandigarh-based tailor who has been making uniforms for Indian Army officers since 1970s. He said, “In my professional experience, the most used fabric brands have been Alok and Nahar to make Army uniforms. Fabrics of brands like Raymonds and S. Kumars are also used by officers these days. However, some officers also bring cloth of other brands which suit them better. As long as the fabric matches the designated colour, their uniforms can be made.” Delhi-based tailor who has been making uniforms for Indian Air Force officers for over 15 years said, “These days most officers buy the fabric from the defence canteen. In my experience, all fabrics used by the officers are manufactured by Indian companies. The fabric by Raymonds is the preferred choice.” Inputs from fabric manufacturer, Lakshmipati Group Sanjay Saravgi, MD at Lakshmipati Group, told ANI that the fabric the company is manufacturing was imported in India due to lack of demand. He further said that the fabric will be used by defence forces for various purposes like shoes, rug-sacks, trousers and tents. It is pertinent to note that Saravgi did not talk about uniforms but specific items. “This fabric is used for specialised purposes. It has a tenacity of 7.25 grams per denier (gpd). The fabric we make is plain white in colour and made using a high tenacity yarn. This type of yarn was mostly imported because there was no demand for it in India. Once the fabric is made, we give it to garmenters who make the final products. This fabric can be used to make equipment like tents, rug-sacks and highly specific military gears. It can also be used to make trousers which need higher endurance. This cloth isn’t used by common folks going to the office.,” Saravgi informed Alt News. Ahmedabad Mirror included inputs from Saravgi, however, failed to clarify that the fabric is unlikely to be used to make daily uniform. We asked Saravgi about Ahmedabad Mirror’s input that the fabric is so strong it cannot be torn by hand and attempting to tear it may even cut fingers. He clarified, “I was talking about the yarn, not fabric.” Therefore, the fabric mentioned by Ahmedabad Mirror and ANI is a specialised fabric which is used to make various military equipment. Due to the lack of technical details, the reports created an impression that daily wear uniforms for the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force were made using imported fabric until now. The headlines of the reports also gave the same impression. However, the truth is that the officers of the armed forces purchase their own fabric from Indian brands like Raymond and get their uniforms stitched. Ahmedabad Mirror’s article was shared by Union Cabinet Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development Smriti Z Irani, BJP MP Darshana Jardosh, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, co-founder of PuneTech and ReliScore Amit Paranjape and Group President at Reliance Industries Limited Dhanraj Nathwani. Many of the above outlets had republished an ANI story. Similar reports were published by Zee News (archived link), Livemint (archived link), WebIndia123 (archived link), Defence News (archived link), Big News Network (archived link) and Russia News (archived link). 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th December 2020 / 10:48 am	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-imported-fabric-used-for-uniforms-of-indian-armed-forces/", "author": "Archit" }
976	FACT CHECK: Did India jump 16 places in UN World Tourism rankings as claimed by BJP? - Alt News Sam Jawed 3rd June 2017 / 5:07 pm Completion of three years of Modi Sarkar, has seen a number of infographics on achievements being shared on social media. BJP’s official handle recently tweeted the news about “Major boost to India’s tourism industry: India jumps 16 places from 40 to 24 in UN world tourism rankings”. On the face of it, it looks like an impressive achievement. On second thoughts, one is left wondering if international tourist arrivals went up so much in the space of one year to make such an impact on the ranking. With this lingering doubt in mind, let us do a quick fact check. Here is the claim that was tweeted by the official handle of BJP and subsequently retweeted by Union Minister of State for Culture & Tourism, Mahesh Sharma. On May 19th, 2017, Ministry of Tourism had come out with a press release about the improvement in India’s rank in International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs). The release explains a very significant change in methodology i.e., earlier India only reported foreign tourist arrivals under ITA and has now started to report NRI arrivals as well. “As per the UNWTO definition, International Tourist Arrivals (ITAs) comprises two components namely Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) and Arrivals of Non-Resident Nationals. The UNWTO in its barometer ranks countries in terms of their ITAs. So far only the figures of FTAs were compiled in India. However, now India has started compiling the data arrivals of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), also.” This is a major change in methodology. It means adding 40% more tourist arrivals to the ITA number. Accordingly, with an addition of 5.43 million NRIs in 2014 and another 5.26 million in 2015, the number of ITAs in India during 2014 and 2015 became 13.11 million and 13.28 million. The same was reported in the travel industry as, “India changes tourist count”. It is no surprise that the addition of NRI data led to a massive jump in India’s ranking. The PIB press release clarifies that ranks for years 2014 and 2015 were reworked after the inclusion of NRI arrivals: “Due to this inclusion, India’s improved rank reflecting the true and comparable scenario has now been acknowledged by the UNWTO. Rank of India in International Tourist Arrivals in both 2014 and 2015 is 24 as against the previous rank of 41 and 40 in the year 2014 and 2015, respectively.” This can be summarised as follows: It is clear from the press release that this is a revision of previous years’ rankings and there is no mention of the rank for 2016 or 2017. The same also could not be found on UNWTO or Ministry of Tourism website. Even if we take the BJP claim that the 2016 rank is 24, it has to be compared to the revised base of 24 for 2014 and 2015. As per these numbers, India’s ranking on International Tourist Arrivals is still flat since 2014. The claim of a 16 places jump in the ranking on International Tourist Arrivals in 2016 is thus misleading as per the Ministry of Tourism’s own press release. Just the way GDP formula was reworked to show a higher GDP, BJP’s presentation of tourism rankings are also a play of numbers rather than actual ground reality. So what is the real picture of International Tourist Arrivals? Once again, as per the Ministry of Tourism’s own data: Before the global economic crisis of 2008, India had seen an increase in tourist arrivals in the range of 13-14% with 2004 being as high as 26.8%. The arrivals picked up again in 2010. After a fall in 2015, the year 2016 has again seen a healthy 10.7% growth. Even though it won’t lead to a 16 point jump, this growth will ultimately get reflected in an improvement in India’s ITA ranking. To sum up, as per the PTI story based on the Ministry’s press release: “With the inclusion of non- resident Indians among international tourists, India has jumped 16 places in the revised World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) rankings to settle at 24th for 2014 and 2015. Earlier, it was ranked 41st and 40th in 2014 and 2015, respectively, as per the global ranking.” So, the so-called “jump” is nothing more than recalculated 2014 and 2015 ratings. There is no mention of a jump in 2016 or 2017 ratings. The PTI story was also carried by LiveMint with a misleading headline but it explained correctly in the article. Financial Express went a step further and reported this recalculation as “PM Modi’s tourism push pays off, India jumps 16 places in UNWTO ranking”. While we can give the benefit of doubt to the media for not fully understanding the numbers and carrying a misleading headline, what is the excuse for BJP’s official handle and Minister of Tourism to tweet it? This brings us to the question of why a misleading claim had to be made when all government data and press releases are publicly available? Why this chest-thumping at the cost of credibility? The news of improved rank was shared across social media and the misleading infographic has made its way to hundreds of WhatsApp groups as a major achievement of the government. Facts unfortunately are the first casualty in this eagerness to show an achievement. The second is credibility. And to share a misleading claim as a major achievement along with the picture of the Prime Minister is not even considered an embarrassment. Nobody's cheerleader, I tweet at @samjawed65 Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd June 2017 / 5:07 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-india-jump-16-places-un-world-tourism-rankings-claimed-bjp/", "author": "Sam Jawed" }
977	Fact-check: Is Congress contesting the lowest number of seats ever, as claimed by PM Modi? - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 2nd May 2019 / 7:02 pm Is the Congress party contesting the lowest number of seats in its entire history, for the 2019 Lok Sabha election? Apparently so, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi recently gave an interview to the English news channel India Today. In conversation with senior anchor Anjana Om Kashyap, Modi, speaking about the prospects of the BJP and Congress in the Lok Sabha election, asserted that the media has, either deliberately or otherwise, failed to report that the number of seats that the INC will be battling for is the lowest in its entire political history. The video of the interview is posted below. The relevant portion is from 1:03:45 minutes. PM Modi says, “…teesri baat jo media miss kar raha hai. Ab woh unki madad karne ke liye miss kar raha hai ya imaandari se miss kar raha hai, main aarop nahi laga raha hoon. 2014 ka chunav, uske nateeje, Congress ka uske poore jeevan kaal ka sab se kam seaten jeet ne ka record. 2014. Aur 2019, unke poore jeevan kaal mein sabse kam seaten ladne ka record. Ye do cheezein desh ke saamne baar baar aani chahiye.” Translation: “…the third thing which the media is missing. Now whether they are missing it to help them or otherwise, I am not accusing. 2014 election, its result; Congress got the record of the lowest number of seats in its entire history. 2014. And in 2019, they have the record of contesting the lowest number of seats in their entire political history. These two things should come to the fore in front of the nation. PM Modi made two assertions: 1. Congress shrunk to its lowest ever tally in 2014 2. Congress is contesting the lowest number of seats in the history of general elections The first claim i.e. Congress in 2014 made history by winning the lowest number of seats ever, is correct. The party’s tally of 44 seats was its worst ever performance in a general election. As for the second claim, PM Modi was countered via social media by Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who tweeted that “Congress is not contesting its lowest ever seats”, and called the Prime Minister “ill-informed”. It is troubling that PM is so ill-informed & this has reflected on his governance But I will clarify two things 1)Congress is not contesting its lowest ever seats,hence media is not highlighting his false claims 2)In 2004 we contested even lesser seats & still formed govt pic.twitter.com/rljC7GArmA — Ahmed Patel (@ahmedpatel) May 1, 2019 To get to the bottom of this claim and counter-claim by PM Modi and the Congress party, Alt News firstly looked up the candidate list of the INC, available on the website of the party. It may be noted that 543 members are elected to the Lower House. For the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the Congress party will be contesting from 424 seats. Is this figure of 424 the lowest ever in the history of the Congress party, as claimed by PM Modi? Alt News checked the total number of candidates put up by the INC in the previous general elections of 2014, 2009 and 2004. The statistical reports for successive Lok Sabha elections are available on the website of the Election Commission of India. In 2014, the total number of Congress candidates was 464. For 2009, the party had put up 440 candidates across the country. For the year 2004, the Indian National Congress contested the Lok Sabha election on 417 seats. This is less than the number of seats the party is contesting in the current election, which is 424. The total number of seats contested by the Indian National Congress over seven general elections from 1996 to 2019 have been presented in tabular format below, for reference. As is evident from the above table, the 2019 general election is not the election where the INC has contested the lowest seats. The party had contested seven less seats i.e. 417 in 2004, compared to 424 in 2019. It is the lowest figure among the last six general elections. Interestingly, 2004 was the year when Congress pipped the Vajpayee-led NDA coalition, disproving all pre-poll predictions. Suffice to say that PM Narendra Modi’s second assertion is factually incorrect. It is worthwhile to note that the Prime Minister was not countered over this falsehood by the anchor in this much hyped, “unforgettable and unique” interview. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	2nd May 2019 / 7:02 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-congress-contesting-the-lowest-number-of-seats-ever-as-claimed-by-pm-modi/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
978	Fact-check: Is govt monitoring calls and social media to track political and religious content? - Alt News Archit 6th April 2020 / 11:25 pm / Last updated: 27th May 2021 The Centre announced new IT rules on February 25 and the deadline to comply with the law ended on May 26. Non-compliance means that social media companies like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram can now be sued for posts, comments, etc made on the platform by users. The law does not carry a provision to ban the platforms but it can take away safe harbour protections. A WhatsApp message viral last year has been revived in the wake of the new IT rules. It claims that the Government of India is monitoring all forms of online and telephonic communications and asked people to not forward messages related to politics or religion. Alt News has received numerous requests on its WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160) to verify the message. The complete text reads, “All calls are recorded. All phone call recordings saved. WhatsApp is monitored. Twitter is monitored. Facebook is monitored All social media and forums are monitored. Inform those who do not know. Your devices are connected to ministry systems. Take care not to send unnecessary messages. Inform your children, Relatives and friends about this to take care. Don’t forward any posts or videos etc., you receive regarding politics/present situation about Government/PM etc. Police have put out a notification termed ..Cyber Crime … and action will be taken…just don’t delete … Inform your friends & others too. Writing or forwarding any msg on any political & religious debate is an offence now….arrest without warrant… This is very serious, plz let it be known to all our groups and individual members as group admin can b in deep trouble. Take care not to send unnecessary messages. Inform everyone about this to take care. Please share it; it’s very much true. Groups please be careful.” Below is a screenshot of the message viral last year in April. On March 24, 2020, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked this message via Twitter. “No such thing is being done by the Government,” reads the tweet. Do not fall for such #Whatsapp messages being circulated. No such thing is being done by the Government. However, everyone is advised to not share any false news/misinformation concerning #CoronavirusInIndia For authentic information follow @MoHFW_INDIA and @pib_India pic.twitter.com/XBErXb1CSP — PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) March 24, 2020 It is important to keep in mind that WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption (E2EE) which means “only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what’s sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp.” E2EE conversations remain private unless the receiver shares screenshots of the conversation or if there is a breach in the security of the communication devices. WhatsApp sued the Indian government on May 26, 2021, over new internet rules that ask the company to identify the “first originator of information”. WhatsApp has argued this would break E2EE and infringe on the right to privacy. Facebook Messenger doesn’t have end-to-end encryption enabled by default. But it has a feature called ‘secret conversation‘ which is end-to-end encrypted. Similarly, Twitter does not have end-to-end encryption for its direct messages. As per a 2018 Tech Crunch report, Twitter was testing a feature similar to Facebook’s secret conversation. It’s important to note that not all E2EE messaging applications are equal. Tom’s Guide, an audience supported tech blog, has listed various E2EE apps available for Android or iOS. A 2019 report by Engadget, a US-based tech news website, compared the security offered by Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal. According to this report, Signal has the highest standard of security out of the four apps. In order to understand social media surveillance by the government, Alt News reached out to Kushal Das, a developer of SecureDrop at Freedom of the Press Foundation, via Signal messenger. SecureDrop is a free software platform for secure communication between journalists and sources. Before you read the responses given by Das to our questions, we recommend you watch this short video by AJ+ about online surveillance. Can you explain how social media platforms are monitored by the government? Das: “Indian government records everything at internet service provider (ISP) level. Additionally, the government installs hardware on the ISP level. They can see/track who is visiting which sites, and the different social media platform posts. So when they need the data, all they have to do is send formal notice to these companies to get access to your private chats. Even though WhatsApp chats are end-to-end encrypted, the government can still ask the company and find out who is talking with whom. They can also arrest a person and force them to unlock their phone. Similarly, they can create social graphs by identifying who is following whom, and the frequency of the chats.” You said that the claim in viral text, “Your devices are connected to ministry systems” is false. So how do governments, across the world, get the personal data of individuals? Das: “Generally, your devices don’t get attacked directly unless you are under full-scale surveillance. Think about all the browsing you do, the government can see them live in their systems (in most cases not the actual data, but the metadata, like which sites etc). As I mentioned earlier, all the government has to do is ask for actual data (say your emails, chats on FB) from the company. By the way, the government also has a system to auto transcribe the calls and store the data for a much longer period if they want.” How secure are SMS and phone calls via cellular service? Das: “By law, all communication over the air in India is not encrypted. This has been done to make sure that the government can monitor all the communication. This means SMS and normal phone calls are not secure from criminals too. For instance, OTPs send to our phones can be intercepted.” What does this mean for the privacy of an individual? Das: “Individual privacy is in great danger as we don’t have any laws to protect this information. All metadata can be used to create profiles of individuals which they can predict and monitor much more efficiently. This destroys any personal freedom we have.” What can we do to protect our online privacy? Das: “We know that the government is capable of recording all phone calls. But are they doing it? That we don’t know. But we know for sure that they are storing all call logs and other metadata. That is good enough to create new target lists so that they can monitor individuals completely.” People can start by these steps to make themselves more secure – move all phone calls/messages to Signal messenger. This app does not store similar level of metadata (unlike WhatsApp) and the phone calls cannot be intercepted easily. As for secure web browsing, people can start using Tor Browser more frequently, so that their internet usage stays more private to them.” The viral text has been widely circulated by Hindi and Gujarati users as well. The viral text in Gujarati reads, “આવતીકાલથી નવા સંચારના નિયમો લાગુ કરવામાં આવશે અમદાવાદ પોલીસ 1. બધા કોલ રેકોર્ડિંગ્સ હશે. 2. બધી જ કોલ રેકોર્ડિંગ્સ સાચવવામાં આવશે. 3. વોટ્સએપ, ફેસબુક, ટ્રિટર અને બધા સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર નજર રાખવામાં આવશે. 4. જે લોકો જાણતા નથી તે બધાને જાણ કરો. 5. તમારા ઉપકરણ મંત્રાલય સિસ્ટમ્સ સાથે કનેક્ટ થશે. 6. કોઈને ખોટો સંદેશ ન મોકલવા પર ધ્યાન આપો. 7. તમારા બાળકો, ભાઈઓ, સંબંધીઓ, મિત્રો, પરિચિતોને, દરેકને જાણ કરો કે તમારે તેમની સંભાળ લેવી જોઈએ અને સોશિયલ સાઇટ્સને ભાગ્યે જ ચલાવવી જોઈએ. 8. કોઈપણ પોસ્ટ કે વિડીયો… વગેરે જેને તમે રાજકારણ અથવા વર્તમાન પરિસ્થિતિ પર સરકાર અથવા વડા પ્રધાનની સામે મેળવો છો. મોકલો નહીં. 9. અત્યારે કોઈપણ રાજકીય કે ધાર્મિક મુદ્દે સંદેશ લખવો કે મોકલવો એ ગુનો છે. આવું કરવાથી વોરંટ વિના ધરપકડ થઈ શકે છે. 10. પોલિસ પ્રથમ નોટિફિકેશને દૂર કરશે …. ત્યારબાદ સાયબર ક્રાઈમ … ત્યારબાદ કાર્યવાહી કરવામાં આવશે. તે ખૂબ ગંભીર છે 11. બધા જ ગૃપના સભ્યો, સંચાલકો, … કૃપા કરીને આ વિષય પર વિચાર કરો. 12. કોઈ ખોટો સંદેશ ને મોકલવાની કાળજી રાખો. અને દરેકને જાણ કરો અને આ વિષયની સંભાળ રાખો. 13. કૃપા કરીને આને શેર કરો.. આભાર…” While the one in Hindi is as follows: “कल से नये communication नियम लागू होने वाले है :1.सभी call recording होंगे 2.सभी call recording saved होंगे 3.Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, और सभी Social media सभी monitored होंगे 4.जो ये नहीं जानते उन सभी को इत्तला (inform) कर दीजिये 5.आपकी Devices को मन्त्रालय systems से जोड़ दिया जायेगा 6,ध्यान दीजिये कोई भी गलत message किसी को भी मत भेजिये 7.अपने बच्चों, भाइयों, रिश्तेदारो, दोस्तों,परिचितो,सभी को इत्तला (inform) कर दो कि इन सबसे ध्यान रखे और social sites को संयम से चलाये 8.कोई post या video..आदि जो आप recieve करते हो राजनीति या वर्तमान स्थिति पर सरकार या प्रधानमंत्री के खिलाफ उसे Send मत करो 9.इस समय किसी राजनीतिक या धार्मिक मुद्दे पर कोई Message लिखना या भेजना अपराध है ……ऐसा करने पर बिना वारंट के गिरफ़्तारी हो सकती है। 10.Police एक नोटिफ़िकेशन निकालेगी ….फ़िर Cyber अपराध… फ़िर action लिया जायेगा 11.यह बहुत ही गम्भीर है please आप सभी, group members, admins ,…इस विषय पर गहराई से सोचिये 12.ध्यान रखिये कोई गलत Message मत भेजिये और सभी को इत्तला (inform) करिये और इस विषय पर ध्यान रखे 13.Please इसे share कीजिये… यह सच है Groups ज्यादा सतर्क व साब्धान रहे।” 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Trigger Warning: Violent Content. Viewer discretion is advised. Over the past few months, rumours of… A video of a young boy cleaning the windshield of a car is making the… On November 9, Yati Narsinghanad disciple Suresh Rajput uploaded a video on Facebook about AIMIM… A video clip of a fighter jet landing on a dam is being widely circulated… In the backdrop of NASA’s Perseverance Rover landing on Mars on February 19 (IST), a…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	6th April 2020 / 11:25 pm / Last updated: 27th May 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-govt-monitoring-calls-and-social-media-to-track-political-and-religious-content/", "author": "Archit" }
979	Fact-check: Is Punjab CM with 'gangster' Goldy Brar in this photo? - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 30th May 2022 / 7:21 pm On May 29, popular Punjabi singer and Congress leader Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu alias Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead in Mansa district. Canada-based gangster Lawrence Bishnoi gang and wanted criminal Goldy Brar took responsibility for the attack through an alleged Facebook post. Alt News has not verified the authenticity of the post which is currently being investigated by the Punjab police. Soon after this incident, another screenshot started being shared on social media. This screenshot is of a Facebook account named ‘Goldy Brar’. In this, a person is seen with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and is congratulating him on becoming the CM. It is being claimed that the person seen in the picture is gangster Goldy Brar. RSS mouthpiece Organizer Weekly’s Nishant Azad tweeted the picture with this claim and later took it down. Zee News journalist Anubhav Shakya tweeted the viral picture by tagging Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and wrote that Goldy Brar of Canada took responsibility for the murder of Sidhu Moosewala. (Archive link) BJP supporter @MrSinha_ tweeted the picture and made the same claim. He later raised the question of whether the removal of Sidhu’s security by the AAP government was part of a bigger conspiracy, Congress leader Radhika Kheda also made a similar claim while posting the picture. She later took it down and tweeted an apology. Alok Bhatt also made the same claim while sharing the picture. Later, he deleted his tweet and clarified that the man in the image is not the same Goldy Brar. Alt News searched the Facebook account named ‘Goldy Brar’ and found that the picture was uploaded on March 10. However, this isn’t the account of gangster Goldy Brar. A man who shares the same name congratulated Bhagwant Mann after the victory of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Punjab assembly elections. This picture is still present on his account. After his photograph went viral, he posted a video where he said that his name is Goldy Brar, his father’s name is Rajinder Singh, and he is a resident of Jandwala village. After the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, his image was misused as he shares his name with the gangster who allegedly killed Moosewala. ਮੈਂ ਗੋਲਡੀ ਬਰਾੜ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਰਜਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਾਸੀ ਪਿੰਡ ਜੰਡਵਾਲ਼ਾ ਦਾ ਰਹਿਣ ਵਾਲ਼ਾ ਹਾਂ। ਜੋ ਅੱਜ ਦੀ ਸਿੱਧੂ ਮੂਸੇਵਾਲ਼ਾ ਦੇ ਕਤਲ ਦੀ ਦੁਖਦਾਈ ਘਟਨਾ… Posted by Goldy Brar on Sunday, 29 May 2022 Alt News contacted Goldy Brar who shared with us a copy of his Aadhaar card, according to which, his full name is Manjeet Singh and his father’s name is Rajinder Singh. His address on the card is Fazilka, Punjab. We located a press release on the official website of Delhi Police carrying information related to gangster Goldy Brar. According to this, gangster Goldy Brar’s full name is Satendrajit Singh, his father’s name is Shamsher Singh, and his address is Adesh Nagar, Muktsar, Punjab. Goldy Brar, who is seen with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the viral picture, and the notorious criminal named Goldy Brar, who took responsibility for the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, are different. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	30th May 2022 / 7:21 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-punjab-cm-with-gangster-goldy-brar-in-this-photo/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
980	Fact check: Is this Congress MLA Anil Upadhyay praising PM Narendra Modi? - Alt News Archit 30th November 2019 / 7:12 pm / Last updated: 8th February 2021 A video of a man praising PM Narendra Modi for supposedly cracking down on corruption at multiple levels is circulating online. The video has been shared with the claim, “Congress MLA Anil Upadhyay unknowingly spoke the truth.” (कोंग्रेस विधायक अनिल* उपाध्याय अनजाने में कह गया पर सही बोल दिया.) कोंग्रेस विधायक अनिल* उपाध्याय अनजाने में कह गया पर सही बोल दिया इस video को इतना वायरल करो की ये पूरा हिन्दुस्तान देख सके..👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👆🏿👌🏼👌🏼 Posted by Rajveer achhwan Gurjar on Saturday, 6 February 2021 The clip is also circulating on Twitter. कोंग्रेस विधायक अनिल उपाध्याय अनजाने में कह गया पर सही बोल दिया *👆🏿👆🏿👌🏼👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/6AVbufnL5T — Ksingh@561 (@Ksingh561) February 8, 2021 On November 29, 2019, Twitter users Neha Singh had shared the video. It was also widespread on Facebook and Twitter. This video has been viral since April 2019. Alt News’s report, ‘Republic TV falsely portrays man praising PM Modi as a Congress MLA‘, verified that the person in the video is not ‘Anil Upadhyay’, and he is not a Congress MLA. In fact, his real name is Munna Pandey. In order to identify the person, Alt News had searched ‘Anil Upadhyay’ in MyNeta database. The search threw up two results – a BSP leader from Jodhpur who contested the Rajasthan polls in 2018, and an independent candidate from Lucknow who contested the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2007 and 2012. There is no Congress leader with the name Anil Upadhyay. There are several viral videos of the same man, each one with a different claim. In December 2018 a video of this person praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi was viral on social media with claims suggesting that he is Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot’s father-in-law. Several videos of him have been shared by verified Twitter user Tanmay Shankar. In all these videos, he is seen making a very spirited and emotional case for supporting PM Modi. मोदी रहा तो भारत जल्द अमेरिका जैसा देश होगा। Views of Munna Pandey ji on @narendramodi governance model … pic.twitter.com/rQ5oPfpvYe — Tanmay Shankar (@Shanktan) April 10, 2019 Speaking to The Quint, Shankar confirmed that the person is Mohan Pandey (Munna) and that he knows him personally. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	30th November 2019 / 7:12 pm / Last updated: 8th February 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-this-congress-mla-anil-upadhyay-praising-pm-narendra-modi/", "author": "Archit" }
981	Fact-check: Is this the 2100 kg bell to be installed at Ram Temple in Ayodhya? - Alt News Archit 16th October 2020 / 3:35 pm / Last updated: 17th October 2020 On August 5, the inaugural ceremony of the Ram temple took place in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Since then, two videos have gone viral on social media that show a bell. The text associated with both videos is identical — “Ram Mandir bell is almost ready; single cast piece, easily the largest, 6’X5’, weighing 2,100 kg made of “Ashtadhatu”, a combination of eight metals — gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, tin, iron and mercury. This bell can be heard up to 15Km. #JaiShriRam” — it claims that the viral videos show a 2,100 kg bell made for Ram temple. Both videos are widely shared on Facebook and Twitter. Video 1 This video surfaced online around September 23 and shows a man striking a gigantic bell with a hammer. The video carries Tamil text blurbs suggesting it may have been shot in the southern part of India. Twitter user @AnkitaBnsl’s post carrying the clip was retweeted over 900 times. (archived link) Ram Mandir bell is almost ready; single cast piece, easily the largest, 6’X5’, weighing 2,100kg made of “Ashtadhatu”, a combination of eight metals — gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, tin, iron and mercury. This bell can be heard up to 15Km. #JaiShriRam@LostTemple7 pic.twitter.com/8F3LSjbrIV — Ankita (@AnkitaBnsl) September 23, 2020 On September 19, @mini_razdan10 (archived link) tweeted the viral video. It gained over 800 retweets. Similarly, several Fabeeok users posted the video. Video 2 In the first week of October, several social media users posted a montage that shows a bell being made from scratch. On October 5, Twitter user @RVAIDYA2000 posted the video along with the viral text. It gained over 1,500 retweets and close to 50,000 views (archive link). Alt News documented in August that @RVAIDYA2000 posted misinformation related to investigation surrounding Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Ram Mandir Bell is Single Cast piece, 6’ X 5’, weighing 2,100 Kgs made of, ”Ashtadhatu” combo of 8 Metals: Gold Silver Copper, Zinc,Lead,Tin,Iron,&Mercury.. -frm Ramakrishna Nadar Vessels Shop in Eral-Tuticorin TN.Listen to its Mangal Naada-can be heard up to 15 Kms.RT pic.twitter.com/bMbmjHKFhQ — RVAIDYA2000 (@rvaidya2000) October 5, 2020 The video has been shared by numerous Facebook users. (link to one such video) While the bell seen in the viral videos will be installed in Ram Temple, it is not the 2100 kg bell made of eight different metals. The latter is a different bell made in Uttar Pradesh. Alt News found in its investigation that both Video 1 and Video 2 show the same bell made in Tamil Nadu. Video 1 Alt News extracted the Tamil text on the video which roughly translates to, “Saral – From Ramagirupan Nadar Pottery 600 kg bronze work from Tamil Nadu for Ayodhya Sri Ramarkoil.” (சரால் – ராமகிருபன் நாடார் பாத்திரக்கடையில் இருந்து அயோத்தி ஸ்ரீ ராமர்கோவிலுக்காக தமிழகத்தில் இருந்து செல்லும் 600கிலோ எடை கொண்ட வெங்கல பணி) The Tamil text states that the bell weighs 600 kg while the viral text claimed it’s 2100 kg. Next, we performed a reverse image search using the video verification tool InVID. The search results led us to a September 13 report by Maalaimalar, a Tamil news website. As per the report, the video shows a large bronze bell made in Tamil Nadu for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. The article did not say that the bell was made using eight different metals. As per the report, the bell was made by a potter in Ramakrishna Nadar. As per Google Maps, this is a Thoothukudi-based metal supplier. The report said that the bell weighs ~600 kg, unlike social media claims suggesting it’s 2100 kg in weight, and the video was shot by an employee while testing the sound of the bell. Using this as a clue, we performed a keyword search on Google and found Ramakrishna Nadar’s Just Dial page (archived link). The page carries an image of a bell similar to the one viral. Nadar confirmed to Alt News that he is the manufacturer of the bell. Alt News spoke with Tamil Nadu-based Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Karu Nagarajan who connected us with Rajalaxmi Manda. Manda is a BJP supporter and general secretary of Chennai-based Legal Rights Council. She drove the bell from Tamil Nadu to Ram Temple, making pit-stops in many cities for religious rituals. The Indian Express reported that she reached Lucknow on October 7 after a month-long journey. “The viral video seems to be from the Thoothukudi workshop where the bell was constructed and later sent to Kumbakonam workshop for completion. It was ready in the month of August. Legal Rights Council extended the funds for the bell. On September 17, we marked our yatra (journey) from Rameshwaram. As of today (October 1), we have crossed Uttar Pradesh. We’ll make a pitstop in New Delhi for a religious ceremony before reaching Ram Temple,” she told Alt News, further confirming that the bell is made of bronze and weighs about 613 kgs. It’s noteworthy that Twitter user @AnkitaBnsl who had shared the video with the viral, misleading text later put out two tweets with the correct information. Video 2 This video shows the entire process of making a bell including moulding, casting, polishing, and sound testing. Alt News noticed that at 1:06 and 1:07 to 1:12, the bell identical to the one in the first video can be spotted. The similarities have been pointed out below: In fact, the last few seconds of both videos are the same. Which is the 2,100 kg bell? We performed another keyword search on Google and found a report by The Economic Times (ET) from August 10 that confirmed that the construction of a 2,100 kg bell for the temple has been completed. As per the report, Dau Dayal, from Jalesar in UP’s Etah district, is leading a team to build a bell weighing 2,100 kg for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Iqbal Mistri is the one who designed the bell as per ET. “Our Muslim brothers have expertise in designing, grinding, and polishing,” Dayal told ET. “The bell is not just brass, but made of “ashtadhatu”, a combination of eight metals — gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, tin, iron and mercury, ” the report added. The same was reported by India.com and The Siasat Daily. As per Siasat’s report, chairman of Jalesar Municipal Council Vikas Mittal is the owner of the workshop, and the duo — Dau Dayal & Iqbal Mistri — made the bell. Conclusion Two videos of a large bell went viral with the claim that it’s the 2,100 kg bell which is “almost ready” for installational at the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh. Alt News found that both videos show a 613 kg bronze bell made in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. Alt News spoke with the maker of the bell who confirmed that both videos are from his workshop. The 2,100 kg bell for Ram Temple was made by UP-based Dau Dayal. As per media reports, it is indeed made using eight metals and its construction was completed between November 2019 and August 10. 🙏 Blessed to have worked as a fact-checking journalist from November 2019 to February 2023. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	16th October 2020 / 3:35 pm / Last updated: 17th October 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-this-the-2100-kg-bell-to-be-installed-at-ram-temple-in-ayodhya/", "author": "Archit" }
982	Fact-check: Is this the peak of Mount Kailash seen for the first time due to Indian govt? - Alt News Aqib Pathan 28th July 2021 / 7:13 pm A video of a snow-capped mountain range has been shared with the following message on social media – “Due to the efforts of the Government of India, it was possible to see the top of Mount Kailash for the first time.” The message adds that the video was taken on July 21, 2021. One Facebook user Sachin KushwAh garnered 2,000 shares for the video. राम राम जी🙏🙏 भारत सरकार के प्रयास के कारण कैलाश पर्वत के ऊपर का दृश्य पहली बार संभव हो सका है जी 21-7-2021 सावन प्रारंभ हो गया आप भी दर्शन कर लें जी Posted by Sachin KushwAh on Saturday, July 24, 2021 Several Twitter users shared this video with the same Hindi caption. Flying past Mount Kailash. May Mahadev shower his blessings on all🙏🙏 भारत सरकार के प्रयास के कारण कैलाश पर्वत के ऊपर का दृश्य पहली बार संभव हो सका है जी 21-7-2021 सावन प्रारंभ हो गया आप भी दर्शन कर लें pic.twitter.com/bCadzrZWvc — Varma’s (@Varmastweet) July 26, 2021 This video is hugely viral on Facebook with the same Hindi caption. Alt News has received a fact-check request on our official WhatsApp number (+91 76000 11160). With the help of InVID, we did a reverse search of one of the keyframes of the video on Yandex and found the same posted by one Instagram user with the caption “Kilimanjaro, unforgettable moment! # tanzasafaris” A post shared by Denniss Ulrich Nyagawa Andrew (@dennissderick) Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. There are several videos of the mountain on YouTube. Below is the comparison of a still from the viral video and a YoutTube video. We also found a photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro on iStock, which clearly shows the crest of the mountain. Further search on YouTube led us to the same video uploaded by a channel named Daily News Digital on July 23, 2020, and the title of the video is – “Pilot makes 360 degrees turn around Mount Kilimanjaro \| Rubani alivyoizungusha ndege Mlima Kilimanjaro.” [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhqbJ3xwFkk] In conclusion, a video of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is viral on social media as Mount Kailash. It is also noteworthy that the viral message applauds the Indian government for making it possible to see the peak of Mount Kailash for the first time. Mount Kailash, considered the home of Hindu deity Shiva, is in China. Aqib is monitoring and researching mis/disinformation at Alt News Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	28th July 2021 / 7:13 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-this-the-peak-of-mount-kailash-seen-for-the-first-time-due-to-indian-govt/", "author": "Aqib Pathan" }
983	Fact-check: Is viral video actual footage of a 'hatman' killing woman in Mumbai? - Alt News Kalim Ahmed 12th November 2022 / 2:47 pm / Last updated: 12th November 2022 A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers can see a woman getting down from a car outside a residential complex and as the car goes away, a man in a black hat grabs her from behind and stabs her to death. He then drags her body away behind the parked cars. The clip is being shared with the claim that it is an incident from Mumbai’s Andheri, and has been given the title “#HatmanKillerInMumbai”. User @sandeepkishore_ shared the clip on Twitter with a caption in Hindi that can be translated as, “A very horrific incident came to light in a leaked CCTV footage from a locality in Andheri where a man in a black hat was seen brutally killing a woman. He is being referred to as #HatmanKillerInMumbai. Be alert everyone.” He later deleted the tweet. Hussain Sultania, who according to his Twitter bio is the national secretary of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), also shared the clip on Twitter with a similar caption. एक बहुत ही दर्दनाक घटना में एक लड़की को काली हैट वाला व्यक्ति जिससे #HatmanKillerInMumbai कहा जा रहा है, उसे एक औरत को बेरहमी से मारता हुआ देखा गया अंधेरी कि कोई इलाक़े में । यह खबर एक सीसीटीवी फूटेज के द्वारा सामने आयी । pic.twitter.com/R8Re8M13Je — Hussain Sultania (@HussainSultania) November 11, 2022 News18 journalist Ankit Kumar has also shared the clip on Twitter with the #HatmanKillerInMumbai. मुंबई दिल दहलाने वाला वीडियो सामने आया है..जिसमें एक शख्स महिला पर एकाएक ताबड़तोड़ हमला करते दिख रहा है.. मुंबई पुलिस ये वीडियो सही है या फर्जी है? #HatmanKillerInMumbai#Viral #ViralVideos @MumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/3Qk82gxOLP — Ankit Kumar @Journalist (@AnkitAnitaSingh) November 11, 2022 Others who have shared the clip include Zafar Saifi, Wasim Akram Tyagi, Jibraan Uddin, and Mohammad Altaf Ali. IndiaTV also reported about the viral clip without any additional information other than what is available from the tweets. We noticed that the CCTV footage shows the date “5-11-22” i.e., the clip is at least a week-old, but we could not find any reliable news reports of such a a crime taking place in Mumbai. This showed the possibility that the date in the footage could be wrong. Then we found that speaking to the media, Mumbai Police had clarified that no such killing had taken took place in the city. This statement was also reported by Aaj Tak. While analyzing the video we noticed a couple of things that seemed unusual: Alt News also noticed the word ‘Maarrich’ [a demon in the Hindu epic Ramayana] written in the viral footage in the first few seconds. Taking this clue, we performed a keyword search on Twitter and came across a tweet by one Dewang Trivedi according to whom, the viral clip is a promotional tactic for an upcoming film Maarrich. Maarrich is an upcoming film by Actor/Producer Tusshar Kapoor, the promo of which was shared by Kapoor on Twitter on September 13. According to India Today, Kapoor would be playing the role of a cop in the film. The spelling of the word ‘Maarrich’ and the bits and pieces of information available in the public domain all point towards the fact that the viral clip is possibly a promotional tactic for this film. Caution ⚠️ you are about to get tangled in the world of #Maarrich 🔪 Catch the evil! Trailer coming soon! In cinemas on 9th December 2022. World of Maarrich, starring #NaseeruddinShah and Myself. A film by @tussharEH, written and directed by #DhruvLather pic.twitter.com/dr42gZqPS8 — Tusshar (@TusshKapoor) September 13, 2022 Alt News has reached out to NH Studioz via mail for comments regarding the viral clip. A message request has also been sent to Tusshar Kapoor’s social media manager regarding the same. The story will be updated if we receive a response. Alt News reached out to one of the individuals who shared the clip and later deleted it. They said on the condition of anonymity that they had posted it as part of a paid promotion. Though they could not ascertain whether it was for the film ‘Maarrich’. To summarize, in all probability, a viral CCTV footage in which a man in a black hat can be seen brutally attacking a woman is linked to the upcoming film ‘Maarrich’. The Mumbai Police has clarified that no such killing took place in the city. Alt News has in the past debunked several such scripted CCTV videos. Related reports can be found here. Kalim is a journalist with a keen interest in tech, misinformation, culture, etc Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… Trigger Warning: Violent Content. Viewer discretion is advised. Over the past few months, rumours of…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	12th November 2022 / 2:47 pm / Last updated: 12th November 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-is-viral-video-actual-footage-of-a-hatman-killing-woman-in-mumbai/", "author": "Kalim Ahmed" }
984	Fact-check: Kishanganj violence between tribals and Muslims on Eid - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 6th June 2019 / 5:39 pm / Last updated: 12th June 2021 Photographs of clashes between trow groups have shared with the claim that a group of Muslims arrived at the tea estates near Dhulabari village in Kishanganj, Bihar to occupy the land of tribals and offer namaz on the occasion of Eid. The tribals attacked the Muslim men with arrows when they refused to vacate the land. बिहार बंगाल बॉर्डर पर एक गांव है धुलाबड़ी यहां आदिवासी समुदाय के लोग रहते हैं खेती करते हैं सब्जियां और फल उगाते हैं निकटवर्ती क्षेत्रों में उन फलों व सब्जियों को बेच देते हैं और अपनी आजीविका चलाते हैं, pic.twitter.com/A2xtsEQtac — सी बी पंजाबी (@cbpunjabi) June 9, 2021 The claim is widespread on Facebook with an elaborate message in Hindi – “7 June, बिहार बंगाल बॉर्डर पर एक गांव है धुलाबड़ी यहां आदिवासी समुदाय के लोग रहते हैं…ईद के अवसर पर इसी गांव की सीमा के अंदर घुसकर शांतिदूतों ने गांव की जमीन पर अवैध कब्जा कर नमाज पढ़ने का प्रयास किया, गांव के निवासी आदिवासियों ने उन्हें जमीन पर कब्जा करने से मना किया परंतु शांतिदूत नहीं माने और समझाने बुझाने आए आदिवासियों से ही हाथापाई पर उतारू हो गए, ” OpIndia had written a story along similar lines in 2019. “Bihar: Muslims enter tribal land to offer namaz on Eid, tribals attack them fearing land grabbing attempt,” read the title of the report published by propaganda website OpIndia on June 6, 2017. The same narrative was earlier pushed by @squintneaon, a Twitter handle infamous for circulating misinformation. “In a shocking incident in Kishanganj, Bihar Tribals attacked Muslims with bow & arrow who was forcibly ocupying their land for Namaz on Eid,” read the tweet that was liked more than 4,000 times and retweeted over 2,000 times at the time of writing this article. The handle has been suspended by Twitter. Soon after @squintneon’s tweet and OpIndia’s article, the claim was picked up by several Twitter users. An identical narrative was also circulated on Facebook, including on a group called We Support Republic. OpIndia’s article was based on a report by Dainik Jagran. The right-wing website, however, attributed information to Dainik Jagran that could not be found in the report. OpIndia wrote that “the tribals fearing that Muslims had come to occupy their lands attacked them with their traditional weapons of bow and arrow” but Dainik Jagran’s article has no mention of Muslims attempting to grab the land. The report focuses on the victims of the incident and the few lines that talk about the violence say, “It’s noteworthy that on Wednesday in Dhulabari village in Thakuganj thana area, Sukhadali panchayat, tribals attacked people who had gathered to offer Namaz in the Idgah on the tea garden. Five people were injured by traditional weapons of the tribals.” The incident was also reported by Hindustan Times, according to which, the land was not owned by the tribals but “captured” by them. “The incident took place when the tribals started rituals on the tea garden land, which they had earlier “captured”. Upon getting information, owners and employees of the tea garden reached the spot and tried to stop them. Angry tribals retaliated and attacked them with arrows,” said the report. The article also carries the police’s statement, according to which, “A few months back, tribals had forcibly encroached the tea garden’s land. Usually, tribals enter into the tea gardens in large numbers with sharp weapons in the night to encroach land.” The report further quotes a district administration official who said, “The tribals were targeting the “Bhoodan” land that had been earlier bought by tea garden owners at a reasonable rate.” To get further insights into the ownership of the land and what sparked the violence, Alt News spoke to SP Kumar Ashish whose team had been keeping a vigil since the tribals had captured the tea garden a month ago. The land was bought by two Muslim brothers in 2016. “An unknown person had hoisted a red coloured dharmic flag near the Idgah of the land on the occasion of Eid, which sparked the agitation. The ones who had come to offer their morning Namaz demanded that the tribals be evicted from the land. The forces already present in the area attempted an amicable solution, however, the worshippers were quite aggressive and started removing and burning tribal huts. A crowd of hundreds of people had gathered that also began stone-pelting. The tribals retaliated with arrows, injuring five people.” SP Ashish added that the police evicted at least 70 tribals from the land to maintain calm. Their huts were taken down and the tribals were moved to a safe location. “The tribals were influenced by some people who told them that the land belongs to the Bihar government. These were landless Adivasis who were instigated to capture the land,” said the officer. One of the most important aspects of the incident – that the land was owned by Muslim brothers and captured by tribals – was represented as if the opposite were true. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	6th June 2019 / 5:39 pm / Last updated: 12th June 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-kishanganj-violence-between-tribals-and-muslims-on-eid/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
985	Fact-check: Medal inscribed with 'swayamsevak' to be given to Tokyo Olympic volunteers? - Alt News Kalim Ahmed 29th June 2021 / 8:51 pm / Last updated: 29th June 2021 Several users on social media have shared a photo of a medal, claiming that it will be presented to the volunteers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8. The medal has the word ‘volunteer’ inscribed in several languages including “स्वंयसेवक” (Swayamsevak) in the Devanagari script. BJP member Surendra Poonia’s tweet sharing the alleged medal gained 10,000 likes and over 2,800 retweets as of this writing. जापान के टोक्यो में होने वाले Olympic खेलों में इस बार Volunteers को दिये जाने वाले Medal पर दूसरी भाषाओं के साथ हमारी राष्ट्रीय भाषा 🇮🇳 हिन्दी में भी स्वयंसेवक लिखा हुआ होगा🤗💪 “स्वयंसेवक” नाम सुनते ही रोमन ग़ुलामों का दिल बैठ सा जाता है 🥰 pic.twitter.com/wF4anxojv7 — Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) June 28, 2021 Several others have shared the image. The medal to be given to Tokyo Olympics Volunteers also has inscription in hindi स्वंयसेवक. I feel this is a big achievement for India & its stature in todays world. Proud to share this. pic.twitter.com/EUz95PeNxO — 🇮🇳 𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓵𝓴𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓪_248 🇮🇳 (@khanna248) June 28, 2021 The claim is viral on both Twitter and Facebook. Alt News has also received multiple requests to verify the claim on its official mobile application (Android, iOS) and its WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160). We looked at the FAQ page on the official Olympics website to see how are the volunteers at the Olympics are awarded and found a few things: 1. The volunteers at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be provided with a pre-paid travel card worth 1000/- Yen for day-to-day travel to the venue. 2. All volunteers are responsible for arranging and paying for any accommodation that they may require. 3. The Olympics association will not issue any documents or certificates to volunteers once the volunteer activity is complete. 4. The Olympics website also has a list of items that would be provided to the volunteers, the list does not mention any medal. According to an article by the Associated Press published in 2019, Olympics volunteers are not paid for their work, they pay for their own lodging and transportation to the host city, they get meals on the days they work, some training, and uniforms to treasure. In Tokyo, they will get up to 1,000 Yen daily to get to work on the city’s vast train system and the Tokyo organisers will provide some insurance. There’s no mention of a volunteer medal anywhere, neither on the official website of the Olympics nor on news publications. Alt News cropped the image and reverse-searched only the circular portion of the alleged medal. We then changed the keyword to ‘Tokyo2020’ and found the image on the American e-commerce website e-bay where it has been identified as a “pin”. It is being sold for US$ 1.50 which is approximately Rs 111. The image of the pin was also shared by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra on his Facebook page and later deleted. Dr Batra told India Today that he was not aware of the source of the photograph but shared it on his Facebook account because the person who forwarded it to him is “quite responsible”. A pin available on an e-commerce website was shared by several people as a ‘proud’ moment for India because ‘swayamsevak’ features on Tokyo Olympic medal to be given to volunteers. The Olympic Association does not give medals to volunteers, but only winners. Kalim is a journalist with a keen interest in tech, misinformation, culture, etc Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	29th June 2021 / 8:51 pm / Last updated: 29th June 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-medal-inscribed-with-swayamsevak-to-be-given-to-tokyo-olympic-volunteers/", "author": "Kalim Ahmed" }
986	Media outlets miseport jailed AAP leader Satyendra Jain's face was 'bruised' - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 14th June 2022 / 7:03 pm On May 30, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Delhi minister Satyendra Jain in an alleged money laundering case. He was then remanded in custody from May 31 to June 9. On June 9, the Rouse Avenue District Court in Delhi, on the orders of the Enforcement Directorate, extended the custody of the Aam Aadmi Party politician until June 13. However, in the meantime, his health deteriorated following which he was rushed to Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Against this backdrop, a photo of Satyendra Jain has gone viral with the claim that he is bleeding from his mouth. Punjab Kesari reported, “Photo of Enforcement Directorate detained leader Satyendra Jain bleeding from the mouth viral, ‘God will hold everyone in the BJP accountable’ – AAP”. (Archive link) Times Now Navbharat Pulkit Nagar journalist Pulkit Nagar tweeted the photo and wrote that this was an image of the individual who brought the Mohalla Clinic to Delhi. It was also retweeted by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. CM अरविंद केजरीवाल ने रिट्वीट की सत्येंद्र जैन की तस्वीर#SatyendraJain pic.twitter.com/loug08O0GY — News24 (@news24tvchannel) June 10, 2022 Several prominent news portals carried the image of Jain with the same claim. Among them were Jansatta, Navjivan, APN News, NDTV, Hindustan Times, Financial Express, Janta Ka Reporter, ABP News, and Sakshi News. A number of Aam Aadmi Party leaders and social media users also amplified the photo. Alt News performed keyword searches on Google and Twitter to gather more information on the picture. This led us to some similar photos of Satyendra Jain, in which he is seen in the same shirt he is wearing in the viral image. It is worth noting that there is no injury to his face nor is he bleeding in these pictures. Rahul Singh, a photojournalist from news agency ANI, had tweeted a picture of Satyendra Jain in which a shadow of a tree was reflected on one half of his face. The background of the photo tweeted by Singh matches that of the viral photo perfectly. However, due to the two images being taken a few seconds apart, the shadow of the tree on Satyendra Jain’s face appears a bit different. Tweeting this, the photojournalist added that the photo was taken on June 9, 2022, when Jain was being brought to the ED office from the Rouse Avenue District Court. This photograph taken on June 09,2022 Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain being brought to ED Office from Rouse Avenue District Court, Health Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested by Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case on May 30 📸 Rahul Singh pic.twitter.com/NoMlnt397B — Rahul Singh (@Rahulphoto_) June 10, 2022 The viral image actually contains a shadow of a tree reflected on the car window. Given below are two photos of the same place, but the frames of both are different. It is noteworthy that the shape of the tree’s shadow is identical in both images. In the side by side comparison below, the shadow of the tree has been marked in the two photos. This shows the real origin of the marks seen on Satyendra Jain’s face. To sum it up, the blot seen on Satyendra Jain’s face in the viral image was actually the result of a reflection of a tree on the car window, and not an injury or blood stain. It was mistakenly circulated by several media outlets, politicians, and social media users as a blood stain. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Inter-faith relationships between Hindu women and Muslim men have been a sore point for the… Right after Elon Musk took over the reins of microblogging site Twitter, the organization carried… A six-second-long clip of a civilian slapping French President Emmanuel Macron while he is interacting… Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was allegedly shot at during a rally in Wazirabad… In a now-deleted article titled “दीप प्रज्ज्वलन के वैज्ञानिक और आध्यात्मिक पक्ष, जानें ये है…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	14th June 2022 / 7:03 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-media-outlets-claim-satyendra-jain-face-injured-blood/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
987	Media outlets ran a three year old photo as visuals of an explosion in a mosque in Kabul - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 23rd August 2022 / 1:58 pm An explosion occurred at a mosque in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on August 17, 2022. According to the Afghan police, a total of 21 people were killed and 33 were injured in the blast. After the news broke, a number of media outlets and social media users began sharing a purported photo of the blast in Kabul. India Today aired the image in its live show as visuals from the recent explosion at a mosque in Kabul. (Archived link) Blast in #Kabul Mosque kills 20, leaves 40 injured. @ashraf_wani with more details #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/PGjLwNhQQl — IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) August 18, 2022 News agency ANI also tweeted the image in connection with the Kabul mosque explosion. It was also featured on the agency’s website as part of its coverage of the blast. (Archived link) Hindustan Times also covered the explosion, attributing the same image to ANI. (Archived link) Several media outlets such as the web portal of British newspaper The Guardian, India.com, The Quint, India TV, The Times of India, News18 Assam, TV9 Bangla, NewsClick, Northeast Now, News Mobile, India Today Group’s news and opinions platform DailyO, and RSS mouthpiece Organiser Weekly among others carried the image with the same claim. Alt News performed a reverse image search of the viral picture. We found the source image in an article by the American news portal Vox. It was shared in connection with the Taliban’s attack on the Afghan capital on July 1, 2019. According to the caption, this picture shows the aftermath of the bomb blast in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 1, 2019. This image is attributed to photojournalist Haroon Sabawoon and stock photo website Getty Images. Using this as a clue, we looked for the viral image on Getty Images. Along with the image, It is mentioned that at least 10 people were killed and more than 65 were injured in this suicide bombing which occurred in July 2021. The photo is attributed to Anadolu Agency, Turkey’s state news agency, with Haroon Sabawoon listed as a contributor as well. To sum it up, media outlets falsely shared a three-year-old picture of a bomb blast in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul as recent. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	23rd August 2022 / 1:58 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-media-outlets-share-old-image-as-bomb-attack-in-kabul-afganistan-mosque/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
988	Edited image of 'Sikh without moustache' viral to discredit farmers' protest - Alt News Priyanka Jha 4th December 2020 / 1:51 pm An image of a Sikh man without a moustache is being shared on social media with the claim that a Muslim man was posing as Sikh in the ongoing farmers’ protest. Twitter user Manjeet Bagg wrote, “Where did the moustache of this Sardar ji disappear?” This tweet gained over 3,000 retweets before it was deleted. (archived link) A parody account of Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami (@ArnabGofficial7) also tweeted this image. इन सरदार जी की मूछें कहाँ गईं😢 pic.twitter.com/VDMxvsTeYQ — Arnab Goswami 💮 (@ArnabGofficial7) December 2, 2020 Similarly, several Facebook and Twitter users have posted this image including Twitter users @AchAnkurArya & @_TiwariRekha (archived link 1, 2) and Facebook pages Ugra Hindutva & Krantikari Hindu (archived link 1, 2). During our research, we found that Facebook Harsit Gupta shared the post by above mentioned Facebook page ‘Ugra Hindutva’. In the comments of Gupta’s post, we found that a user had shared a link to a Facebook Live by the page ‘Hindustan LIVE Farhan Yahiya‘ from Singhu Border where the farmers’ protest is currently going on. In the Facebook Live, shot on November 29, we can see that the Sikh man has a moustache. This means that that viral image is edited. The screenshot has been taken from the 7:29 mark in the Live video. At the beginning of the Facebook Live, a man says that the visuals are from Nirankari Maidan in Burari, very close to the Singhu border. He added, “Along with many Sikh brothers, people from the Muslim community have also reached here.” He then continues to interview men from Sikh and Muslim communities. Therefore, an edited screenshot from a Facebook Live by the page Hindustan LIVE Farhan Yahiya was widely shared on the internet. The viral image was shared with the claim that a Muslim man joined the framers’ protest dressed up as a Sikh. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media….	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	4th December 2020 / 1:51 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-morph-image-shared-to-claim-muslim-man-caught-in-farmer-protest-pretending-sardar-with-no-mustache/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
989	Photo of platform ticket morphed to claim Adani owns Pune Junction Railway Station - Alt News Kinjal 29th December 2020 / 12:51 pm A picture of a railway platform ticket has been going viral on social media. The image shows a platform ticket from the Pune Junction railway station priced at Rs 50. The text on it reads, “Adani Railway. The railways are now our private property.” A number of false claims about the Adani Group have been recently circulating against the backdrop of the farmers’ protest. A user with the display name Neetu Ambedkarwadi shared this image of the ticket in a now-deleted tweet. A Facebook user also posted the picture. (Archive link) ☝️☝️गरीब और मध्यम वर्गीय लोगों की पंहुच से दूर हुआ भारतीय रेल 🤐😐 Posted by MmVerma Verma on Saturday, December 26, 2020 The viral image is widespread on Facebook as well. Actor Sushant Singh quote-tweeted Neetu Ambedkarwadi’s tweet and asked his followers if the picture is genuine or fake. In a reply to Singh’s tweet, a user shared another photo of the same ticket. Unlike the viral image, it did not say “Adani Railway” or “Railways are now our private property” anywhere. A report by The Indian Express dated August 18 talks about the Pune Junction platform ticket now costing Rs 50. A Railway official confirmed that the price of the platform ticket was increased from Rs 10 on March 18. The article carries a tweet posted by a railway spokesperson which says that the price was hiked to prevent crowds from gathering at the station and adhere to social distancing norms. पुणे जंक्शन द्वारा प्लेटफार्म टिकट का मूल्य ₹50 रखने का उद्देश्य अनावश्यक रूप से स्टेशन पर आने वालों पर रोक लगाना है जिस से सोशल डिसटेनसिंग का पालन किया जा सके। रेलवे प्लेटफार्म टिकट की दरों को कोरोना महामारी के शुरुआती दिनों से ही इसी प्रकार नियंत्रित करता आया है। https://t.co/X2HuPC5HUg — Spokesperson Railways (@SpokespersonIR) August 17, 2020 On March 17, Central Railways had also increased the prices of platform tickets of Mumbai, Pune, Bhusaval and Solapur from Rs 10 to Rs 50. The step was taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. #COVOD19 preventive measures. Central Railway on its Mumbai, Pune, Bhusaval, Bhusaval and Solapur divisions increased the platform ticket from ₹10/- to ₹50/- till further advice.#BeAlert @RailMinIndia @drmmumbaicr @BhusavalDivn @drmcrngp @DrmSolapur @drmpune — Central Railway (@Central_Railway) March 17, 2020 Therefore, a platform ticket of Pune Junction railway station was edited to suggest that the Adani Group has staked its claim over the Railways. In place of ‘Pune Junction’, the words ‘Adani Railway’ was added. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	29th December 2020 / 12:51 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-morphed-image-of-pune-junctions-platform-ticket-written-adani-railway-viral/", "author": "Kinjal" }
990	Did Indo-Tibetan Border Police call for boycott of Chinese products on Diwali? Morphed image shared - Alt News Kinjal 3rd November 2020 / 9:23 pm Social media users have been sharing an image of a billboard and encouraging people to boycott China-made products this Diwali season. The text on the hoarding suggests that the message was issued by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). It also features an image of an Indian soldier. The original Hindi message on the sign reads, “I won’t let the Chinese enter our borders, and you shouldn’t buy made in China products this Diwali. Let’s fight together.” This photo has gone viral at a time when India-China tensions escalated, following skirmishes along the LAC earlier in June. The border tensions also prompted the Indian government to ban 224 Chinese mobile applications, citing security concerns. Ashwani Mahajan, columnist and national co-convenor of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, had tweeted the image. (archive link). The Swadeshi Jagran Manch is an organization that supports the RSS. Emotional hoarding put by Indo Tibet Border Police Force @ITBP_official requesting citizens to #BoycottChineseProducts @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/wBbXWcG0mR — ASHWANI MAHAJAN (@ashwani_mahajan) October 24, 2020 Another Twitter user posted this viral photo. (archive link) मैं #चीन को सीमा में घुसने नहीं दुंगा , तुम #दीपावली पर #चीन का सामान मत खरीदना ।।#भारत_तिब्बत_सीमा_पुलिस_बल pic.twitter.com/XqZT6muKFY — राजेश केसरी (@rajeshk9835455) October 26, 2020 The image is being circulated across Twitter and Facebook. Alt News performed a reverse image search and found a similar picture on a Facebook page called ‘R.K. Agencies‘. It was uploaded on October 5, 2017. ‘Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Chittorgarh’ can be seen written below the hoarding in this picture. It is clear that the original image has been tampered with and the words “Indo-Tibet Border Police Team” have been inserted in the place of ‘Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Chittorgarh’. This edited photo has now gone viral, and those sharing the image believe that the call to boycott Chinese products was issued by the IBTP. Comparing the two photos side by side confirms that the viral image is morphed. On October 28, 2020, PIB Fact Check tweeted that the viral image was fake. According to the tweet, no such call to boycott Chinese products was issued on social media by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police force. This tweet was also retweeted by ITBP’s official Twitter handle. The Quint also published a fact-check report about this picture on October 29, 2020. Here, Satish Kumar Acharya, part of the print and publication team for the Manch’s Chittorgarh unit, confirmed this sign had been installed by them. Therefore, a hoarding issued by the Swadeshi Jagran Manch a few years ago was edited and falsely linked to the recent Indo-China border dispute. Users were claiming that through this hoarding, the ITBP had issued a call to the people of the country to boycott Chinese products on Diwali. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd November 2020 / 9:23 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-morphed-image-shared-to-claim-itbp-appeals-to-boycott-chinese-produsts-in-diwali/", "author": "Kinjal" }
991	Fact-check: Moscow metro allows free rides to commuters for 30 squats - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 5th July 2019 / 9:27 pm / Last updated: 8th July 2019 Will 30 squats guarantee a free ride on the Moscow metro? This is what has been claimed in a message accompanying a video showing a man performing squats in front of a machine. .@ArvindKejriwal At Moscow’s ( Russia ) metro rail station if you do 30 situps you get free train ticket.Citizen Health Plan by the Government, rather just offering free ride on tax payer money.#ThursdayThoughts #ThursdayMotivation pic.twitter.com/IE1y96YeyM — 🇮🇳Sandeep Singh🇮🇳 (@sandeepfromvns) July 4, 2019 “At Moscow’s ( Russia ) metro rail station if you do 30 situps you get free train ticket. Citizen Health Plan by the Government.”, says the message which has gone viral on Facebook and Twitter. The duration of the video is 34 seconds. The claim is true, although it may be noted that it dates back to 2013. Alt News searched Google with the keywords ‘Moscow metro ticket squats’, and found several articles regarding the same, the earliest of which were of November 2013. According to these reports, the initiative was part of a promotional campaign for the Winter Olympics which was held in Sochi, Russia in February 2014. Another stated objective was to encourage an active lifestyle among citizens and enthusiasts. Posted below is a promotional video of the same, uploaded in November 2013. A machine with a special sensor was installed at the Vystavochnaya station in Moscow. Those who performed 30 squats within a span of 2 minutes were eligible for a free ticket on the subway. The service was, however operational only till December 3, 2013 according to a Forbes article. A similar incentive-driven approach was introduced in Mexico City in 2015, where a ticket on a subway could be secured through as few as 10 squats. 30 motion sensing machines were installed for this purpose. Recently, Singapore too introduced the squats-for-tickets plan. It may be reiterated that the aforementioned claim is correct- 30 squats did indeed guarantee a free ticket on the Moscow metro, albeit the news pertains to 2013, and the machine was installed at one station on the Moscow subway system. Also, the system was in place only till December 3, 2013. Update: The article has been updated to mention that the squats-for-tickets scheme in the Moscow metro was operational only till December 3, 2013. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th July 2019 / 9:27 pm / Last updated: 8th July 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-moscow-metro-allows-free-rides-to-commuters-for-30-squats/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
992	Fact-check: Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Udyan renamed to Hazrat Haji Pir Baba Rani Bagh? - Alt News Kinjal 27th December 2021 / 10:39 pm / Last updated: 27th December 2021 An image featuring a sign that reads ‘Hazrat Haji Pir Baba Rani Bagh’ is viral on social media. It has been claimed that the name of Mumbai’s Veermata Jijabai Udyan was changed to ‘Hazrat Haji Pir Baba Rani Bagh’. Twitter user Kedar shared the photo with this claim. Numerous Twitter users also promoted the image and accompanying message. It is widespread on Facebook. Alt News did not find any news reports to corroborate the claim about the alleged name change. However, we came across a video posted by a user named Zaid dated November 26, 2021. A signboard appears in this clip at the 1:04 mark which reads ‘Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan and Zoo’ in Hindi. Alt News contacted Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan and spoke with the organisation’s director Dr Sanjay Tripathi. “There is an old dargah on the Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan and Zoo premises called the Hazrat Haji Pir Dargah. The accompanying signboard near the dargah is shown in the viral image, which is now circulating with the false claim about the Udyan’s name being changed to Hazrat Haji Pir Baba Rani Bagh.” An image of a signboard of a dargah located in the premises of Veermata Jijabai Bhonsale Udyan and Zoo was, thus, shared with the false claim that the park’s name was changed. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	27th December 2021 / 10:39 pm / Last updated: 27th December 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-mumbai-veermata-jijamata-udyan-peer-baba-hazrat-haji-false-claim/", "author": "Kinjal" }
993	Fact-check: Muslim man thrown out of London's Wembley Stadium for namaz offering? - Alt News Kalim Ahmed 28th June 2022 / 1:36 pm A minute-long video clip where a man wearing a bandana gets punched by security personnel is widely circulating on social media. In the video, we can see a group of men arguing with each other. They get physically aggressive while the security tries to stop them. This goes on for over a minute until a man in the bandana gets knocked out by security personnel present at the scene. This video clip is being shared with the claim that the man in the bandana wanted to offer namaz inside the Wembly Stadium and had created a menace until he got knocked out by former British Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Julius Francis. This claim is widely circulating on Twitter. Journalist and author Rakesh Krishnan Simha shared this clip on Twitter with the caption, “Muslim man wanted to do namaz inside Wembley Stadium, UK. Watch how former British Heavyweight Boxing Champion Julius Francis (who fought Mike Tyson) dealt with the troublemaker. Sau sunaar ki, ek lohar ki.” Muslim man wantedto do namaz inside Wembley Stadium, UK. Watch how former British Heavyweight Boxing Champion Julius Francis (who fought Mike Tyson) dealt with the troublemaker. Sau sunaar ki, ek lohar ki. pic.twitter.com/ObKZR00Ayi — Rakesh Krishnan Simha (@ByRakeshSimha) June 22, 2022 The clip was also shared by various other Twitter users with the same claim. So this guy wanted to do Namaz in Wembley Stadium in London. Is it so difficult to understand that Stadium is not a mosque? Do they really need to get punched to understand that? Maybe, Yes 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/z2XpS9rbx7 — Niranjan Mohanty (@NiranjanPapun) June 23, 2022 The video clip is also circulating on YouTube with the same claim and has over 2000+ views. We started with determining the location of the incident. Using Google Earth Pro, we found that the altercation took place at these coordinates 51°33’37.89″N, 0°16’47.23″W, outside the BoxPark restaurant in Wembly. The distance between BoxPark restaurant and Wembly Stadium is 0.41 kilometres. This is a red flag as the claim suggested that the man wanted to pray inside the Wembly Stadium, however, one can clearly see the fight taking place outside BoxPark. According to a report by Lad Bible, the incident took place on June 11 at the BoxPark restaurant in Wembley, after a group was escorted out of the premise by security and one male customer had become involved in a confrontation. It is alleged that the male customer hurled abuses and attempted to spit on customers and staff. The chronological timeline of the incident is not mentioned, however, the confrontation led Julius Francis, the security personnel, who is also the former British Heavyweight to step in and knock out the customer. The report by Lad Bible also features a statement from the Metropolitan Police according to which the police decided to drop the case after reviewing relevant CCTV footage and speaking to all concerned parties. The full statement reads, “We are aware of footage circulating on social media showing an incident involving security staff and a member of the public outside Boxpark in Wembley. The incident took place shortly after 17.00 hrs on Saturday 11 June. Officers were called and attended the venue. A group had been ejected and one male customer had become involved in a confrontation with security staff. Officers have spoken to all parties involved and have reviewed relevant CCTV. No further action will be taken in relation to the incident involving the security guard and male customer.” It is important to note that the statement by the police does not mention anything about namaz. Moreover, the statement says that a group was evicted and not just one man. We can clearly see in the viral video clip that the man was accompanied by a bald man in a striped t-shirt. Following the incident, CEO Roger Wade of BoxPark had also put out a statement on LinkedIn in support of Julius Francis. Wade’s statements give us a peek into the timeline of the events and what led to the knockout. The statement can be read here. In a subsequent post, CEO Roger Wade thanked people for the overwhelming support regarding the incident, and he encouraged other founders to do the same – support their employees in difficult circumstances as it is the “right thing to do”. The LinkedIn post can be read here. Both the statements from the CEO of BoxPark don’t mention anything about namaz. We found another video where we can see the police arrest the alleged aggressor i.e., the man in the bandana. The aftermath dude got arrested 😂 pic.twitter.com/6oV5WwS03E — Rozart (@rozart_producer) June 18, 2022 We geolocated the video to the Wembley Park Station Car Park, at these coordinates – 51°33’49.31″N, 0°16’55.19″W. The distance between the site of the altercation and the site of the arrest is 0.39 kilometres. According to The Irish Sun, both the police and Francis’ employer were investigating the incident, however, both probes have now been dropped. Speaking to TMZ, Julius confirmed that his Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence has been suspended and he plans to appeal to revoke the suspension. He said, “The SIA have suspended my licence to work so I can’t work at the moment, so I’m just trying to get that sorted and then hopefully back on the doors as soon as possible, get back to work as soon as possible.” [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWEJd0vgiaY] Alt News found the social media of the alleged aggresor and confirmed his identity using a clandestine method. We are not naming the individual to preserve his identity. However, Alt News can confirm that the individual is not a Muslim. To sum it up, an altercation took place between a man and security personnel outside BoxPark Restaurant in Wembly. The male customer and his friends were escorted out for alleged unruly behaviour. Neither the police’s statement nor the statement of the CEO of BoxPark mentions anything related to namaz. Kalim is a journalist with a keen interest in tech, misinformation, culture, etc In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	28th June 2022 / 1:36 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-muslim-man-thrown-out-of-londons-wembley-stadium-for-namaz-offering/", "author": "Kalim Ahmed" }
994	Fact-check: Did NYT term PM Modi 'last, best hope' for Earth? - Alt News Kinjal 29th September 2021 / 6:39 pm / Last updated: 4th July 2022 An image claimed to be the front page of The New York Times has been shared on social media websites. The headline of the alleged article on the Indian Prime Minister reads, “Last, Best Hope of Earth”. The subheading below reads, “World’s most loved and most powerful leader is here to bless us.” The clipping is dated September 26, 2021. The alleged screenshot is widespread on Facebook. The same screenshot was also viral last year. Alt News had received several requests to fact-check the image on our official mobile application and WhatsApp helpline (+91 76000 11160). The same image was shared in September 2020 against the backdrop of PM Narendra Modi’s three-day-long official visit to the United States. Narendra Modi: Last, Best Hope of Earth ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mYMXlEGZo1 — Flt Lt Anoop Verma (Retd.) 🇮🇳 (@FltLtAnoopVerma) September 26, 2021 It was widespread on Facebook and Twitter back then as well. Alt News had also received numerous requests to verify the image on our official mobile app in 2020. This image had also made its way to WhatsApp. Upon taking a closer look at the clipping, we noticed that the word ‘September’ is misspelt as ‘Setpember’. Furthermore, the caption below PM Modi’s image reads, ”His highness, Modiji is signing on a blank A4 paper to bless our country…har har Modi.” The sentence has a tone of mockery. We checked The New York Times website to locate the front page of the September 26 issue. We discovered that none of the stories was about PM Modi. Below is a comparison between the genuine September 26, 2021 issue and the morphed issue viral on social media. The differences are evident for instance, in the volume number and price. The viral image has the volume number 57,411 whereas the genuine one has the volume number 59,193. Similarly, the price mentioned in the viral image is $2.50, and $6.00 in the original. A Twitter user shared a clipping of The New York Times front page dated November 9, 2016, which has the same volume number and price as the viral image. This is from 9th November Wednesday 2016 which is edited and shared by BJP IT cell. I have the Original “The New York Times” news paper. You can crosscheck the Vol No. CLXVI and amount $2.50. @zoo_bear @sadafjafar pic.twitter.com/SgHdwTie5p — Arafath Adil (@MIAArafath4) September 27, 2021 The New York Times also took to Twitter to clarify that the report is fabricated. This is a completely fabricated image, one of many in circulation featuring Prime Minister Modi. All of our factual reporting on Narendra Modi can be found at:https://t.co/ShYn4qW4nT pic.twitter.com/gsY7AlNFna — NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) September 28, 2021 A satirical post was thus believed to be true and shared with praises for the Indian Prime Minister. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	29th September 2021 / 6:39 pm / Last updated: 4th July 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-new-york-times-satire-modi-last-best-hope-of-earth/", "author": "Kinjal" }
995	Clipped video of Nitin Gadkari falsely viral as the minister taking dig at the BJP - Alt News Kinjal 26th August 2022 / 1:53 pm BJP leader Nitin Gadkari has been dominating headlines for the past few days after the BJP dropped him from its Parliamentary Board and Central Election Committee. Against this backdrop, a video of Gadkari is being shared widely on social media. In this 39-second video, the politician is heard saying, “Stand up, it doesn’t matter if you don’t. My post is gone, don’t worry. I don’t care, I’m not a political professional. We’ll see whatever happens. I have also lived a very ordinary life. To this day, I have always been someone who eats at roadside stalls, watches movies from the third class section, and attends plays from backstage. So I like that life very much. When there are issues with my Z plus security, I drop all the guards at night and then set off for the sidewalk again. Because that’s where I often get reminded of who I was…” AAP leader Sanjay Singh tweeted the clip and wrote that there is a lot of mess going on in the BJP. (Archived link) आख़िर ऐसा क्यों बोले नितिन गडकरी जी? BJP बहुत बड़ी गड़बड़ चल रही है। pic.twitter.com/woHE4mhNcn — Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) August 25, 2022 Retired Wing Commander Anuma Acharya shared this video and said that even the so-called common people were shown the exit by the BJP. एक दो सामान्य सहज जनों को भी बाहर का रास्ता दिखा ही दिया BJP ने! pic.twitter.com/kX9xOIwHMW — Wg Cdr Anuma Acharya (Retd) (@AnumaVidisha) August 25, 2022 Many Twitter users, including Delhi Youth Congress Social Media Coordinator Gaurav Chawla, amplified the video. (Link 1, Link 2) नितिन गड़करी जी ये आप क्या कह रहे हैं?@LambaAlka जी pic.twitter.com/YilYcd76XF — GAURAV CHAWLA (@GauravChawla84) August 25, 2022 Alt News performed a keyword search on YouTube, which led us to a clip dated August 23 on Nitin Gadkari’s YouTube channel. Here he is seen wearing the same clothes as in the viral video. We watched this video in its entirety. It covers a speech delivered by Nitin Gadkari during the launch of Dr Dnyaneshwar M. Mulay’s book, ‘Naukarsyahi Ke Rang’. We discovered that this video is being shared out of context with two different sections having been stitched together. The first part starts at the 7:41 mark. Nitin Gadkari narrates an anecdote from 1996-97 during which he was a minister in Maharashtra. He claims that 2,500 children died due to malnutrition in the Melghat tehsil of Amravati district. This sparked a lot of international outrage. Expressing concern about the incident, the then Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said that there were 450 villages in Melghat, but not a single one of them had a road, so what could be done? Gadkari states that roads were not being built in the village due to the rules stipulated under the Environment Act. This was the reason there was no electricity, crops could not be transported to the market, and children could not even attend school. Seeing all this, the politician decided he could not take it any longer and should take matters into his own hands. “So I said, Sir, this is not your business. I am an expert in this kind of work. So do one thing, leave it to me. I don’t care what the consequences are. And I will do it. If you can, then stand behind me, otherwise, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if I lose my post. That’s not a concern…”. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H337IRGgfgg?start=461] In other words, the anecdote Nitin Gadkari is sharing about his post is actually an old story. The second part of the viral video appears at the 19:13 mark. Here, Gadkari states that he is an ordinary person eating from roadside stalls and watching movies from the third class section. The senior leader mentioned his humble upbringing while talking about the significance of the book. The office of the politician himself clarified the truth behind the clipped viral video in an August 25 tweet. कुछ मीडिया संस्थानों और व्यक्तियों द्वारा चलाये जा रहे झूठे अभियान की सच्चाई। pic.twitter.com/O7v3MikOYP — Office Of Nitin Gadkari (@OfficeOfNG) August 25, 2022 To sum it up, two disjointed clips from a speech by Nitin Gadkari were stitched together and circulated to falsely suggest that he made these remarks after being removed from the Parliamentary Board of the BJP. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	26th August 2022 / 1:53 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-nitin-gadkari-didnt-say-it-doesnt-matter-if-he-stay-or-go-after-removal-from-parliamentary-board/", "author": "Kinjal" }
996	Old video of spoilt cheese thrown in Saudi Arabia shared as Kuwaitis partake in 'boycott France' - Alt News Kinjal 5th November 2020 / 3:18 pm A video of a group of men in red-white uniforms dumping products into a truck is viral on social media. It is being claimed that Kuwaitis are throwing away these products in the light of calls for a boycott of French products by several Muslim-majority countries. Facebook page ‘S D VIDEO Production Youtube කුවේට්’ has posted the video with the same claim. At the time of writing this article, it has been viewed more than 12,000 times. (archive link) කුවේට් සියළුම ප්‍රංශ නිෂ්පාදන කුණු කසළ බවට විසිකර දමයි.👌 Kuwait Put All France Products In Garbage👌 කුවේට් සියළුම ප්‍රංශ නිෂ්පාදන කුණු කසළ බවට විසිකර දමයි.👌 Kuwait Put All France Products In Garbage👌 Posted by S D VIDEO Production Youtube කුවේට් on Tuesday, 3 November 2020 A post by Facebook page फ़ेसबुक पेज ‘কেনে চলর By-FarHan’ had garnered close to 73,000 views before it was deleted. The video is viral on Twitter and Facebook. Alt News performed a reverse search on one of the keyframes of the video extracted with the help of digital verification tool InVid and found that the video is from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahsa municipality. A report by Arabic website Al Marsd published on May 14, 2020 included this video. According to the report, the Ministry of Trade destroyed large quantities of cheese spoilt due to poor storage. The Ministry also denied the rumours circulating at the time that these products contained carcinogenic substances. Saudi Arabian media portal Anti Rumor Authority had also put out a tweet debunking this rumour. The Twitter bio of Anti Rumor Authority says that it is a network “to address rumours and contain them so that they do not constitute harm to society.” مايتداول عن مصادرة منتجات إماراتية من الأجبان في السعودية غير مطابقة للمواصفات ومسرطنة غير صحيح, والفيديو الحقيقي لمصادرة وإتلاف منتجات اجبان بسبب ظهور علامات التلف بسبب سوء التخزين كما أكدت ذلك وزارة التجارة.https://t.co/51W1OcObWq#تأكد_لوطنك pic.twitter.com/X8yFRA2S5D — هيئة مكافحة الإشاعات (@No_Rumors) May 14, 2020 UAE’s English newspaper Gulf News reported, “Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Hussain, official spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce and Investment and General Supervisor of Marketing and Communication, said competent authorities confiscated and destroyed 1,628 rotten cheese products in Al Ahsa, the largest governorate in the kingdom’s eastern region.” Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th November 2020 / 3:18 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-old-video-from-saudi-arab-shared-as-people-of-kuwait-boycotting-frances-products/", "author": "Kinjal" }
997	Clip from 1963 movie viral yet again as 'real' footage of Savarkar in Andaman prison - Alt News Anuradha Prasad 24th November 2020 / 3:06 pm / Last updated: 22nd November 2022 A 1.39-minute video is viral on social media in which a man can be seen inside a prison cell while a voice-over narrates his feelings. Many users claimed that the man seen in the video was V D Savarkar who had been interviewed by a British journalist inside cellular jail. User Sameer Thakkar tweeted the clip with this claim. It received over 1.3 lakh views. Notably, Thakkar is followed by Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi on Twitter. ॐ HINDUTVA Rare footage of BBC by a British journalist who filmed “Swatantrya Veer Savarkar.” in Cellular Jail. All those insulting him are intending to insult the freedom movement of India and undermine the revolutionaries who led to Independent India. pic.twitter.com/wHcko9Hikh — Sameet Thakkar (@thakkar_sameet) November 20, 2022 The video is viral on Facebook and Twitter with the same claim. Twitter user @rakesh_bstpyp, who identifies himself as a newspaper editor, had shared the same clip with a similar claim on November 14, 2021. एक ब्रिटिश पत्रकार ने अंडमान की सेल्युलर जेल में कालापानी की सजा काट रहे महान देशभक्त वीर सावरकर का दुर्लभ वीडियो फुटेज पोस्ट किया है। जो उस समय के जीवन को दिखाता है, आप एक बार यह दुर्लभ फुटेज देखने के बाद पता चलेगा वीर सावरकर जी वीर नही, महावीर परमवीर थे । pic.twitter.com/wIykbaoxAK — राकेश कुमार (@rakesh_bstpyp) November 14, 2021 We also discovered that this video had been shared in May, 2020 (post 1, post 2, post 3) as well. Alt News received requests on its WhatsApp number (+917600011160) and official Android app to fact-check this video. When we searched the keywords ‘Savarkar Andaman jail’ on YouTube, the first result that appeared was a March 2020 fact-check of this very claim by The Lallantop. This fact-check states that the viral video is actually a clip extracted from a film. We scrolled through the suggested videos and found a 40-minute film uploaded by the official channel of the ministry of information and broadcasting titled, ‘Life of Shri Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.’ It was uploaded on August 14, 2014. The viral part starts at the 1:45 mark on the video, where the title sequence reading ‘Veer Savarkar’ is seen. The video description mentions that the film depicts various important events in Savarkar’s life. In the original clip, the visuals between the 25 and 30-minute mark are the ones that appear in the viral video. Therefore, the clip in question was made by cropping scenes from this part of the film. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TMykYkvlzA] We also noticed that there is a Films Division watermark at the 1:28 mark. When we searched the keywords ‘Veer Savarkar’ on Films Division, we discovered that there are three versions of a film made on Savarkar. All three mention that this is a 1983 film directed by Prem Vaidya. Hence, it is clear that 1. The viral video does not feature Savarkar himself. This is actually an actor portraying the historical figure in a movie commissioned by the Indian government. 2. It was not shot by a British journalist, but is a scene from a film directed by Prem Vaidya. A journalist and a dilettante person who always strives to learn new skills and meeting new people. Either sketching or working. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th November 2020 / 3:06 pm / Last updated: 22nd November 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-original-footage-of-veer-savarkar-from-andaman-jail/", "author": "Anuradha Prasad" }
998	Image of Mirza Shah Abbas falsely shared as Akbar - Alt News Kinjal 22nd January 2021 / 1:38 pm / Last updated: 22nd January 2021 Recently, social media users have been circulating a photo, purportedly of famed Mughal emperor Akbar. The black-and-white image is being shared alongside another photo of actor Rajat Tokas, who played Akbar in the television serial ‘Jodha Akbar’. It is being claimed that Akbar was physically weak in real life, but ‘leftist forces’ have depicted him as a powerful ruler onscreen. Users have been taking pot-shots at the ancient leader while sharing the viral collage. Twitter user Divyaba Jadeja wrote in one such post, “The Left told us that Akbar was great, but the truth is he was the complete opposite!” It racked up more than 800 retweets at the time of writing. (Archive link) वामपंथी दोगलों ने हमें पढ़ाया अकबर महान था बल्कि सच्चाई बिल्कुल विपरीत थी..! 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗸𝗯𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶’𝘀 𝗔𝗸𝗯𝗮𝗿 pic.twitter.com/pMe4s7E8s7 — 𝗗𝐢𝐯𝐲𝐚𝐁𝐚 𝐉𝐚𝐃𝐞𝐉𝐚 (@Raajputani) January 19, 2021 Another Twitter user named Pandit Pranshu Dwivedi also posted the image and accompanying claim. The photo has been going viral on Twitter and Facebook. The first photo ever taken with a camera was in France sometime between 1826 and 1827, whereas Akbar died in 1605. Therefore, this cannot be a picture of the Mughal king. The next step was to identify the man in the image. Alt News performed a Google reverse image search and found this photo on the Indian Culture portal of the Indian government. The website states that the person appearing in the collage is Mirza Shah Abbas, the son of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor. Mirza Jawan Bakht (left), Bahadur Shah Zafar’s second son is also in the picture. The website mentions that the picture was taken in the 1850-60s. It is to be noted that Akbar was born in 1542 and died in 1605, whereas his Mirza Shah Abbas was born in 1845 and died in 1910. We conducted further research into Mirza Shah and found this picture on Wikipedia as well. A News18 Hindi article dated October 24, 2018, shared it as a photo of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s son. Another reverse image search using Yandex led us to the website of SOAS University of London. The viral image was found in a collection of photographs from 1850 to 1900. According to the website, this picture was taken in 1858 and was part of the Howard and Jane Ricketts’ Collection. These photos from India were exhibited in London from October 11 to December 15, 2001. The Ricketts were 19th-century photography experts from Britain. They began collecting photographs of 19th-century India in 1972. Therefore, a picture of Mughal ruler Bahadur Shah Zafar’s son Mirza Shah Abbas was falsely shared on social media as his Akbar. [Update: Mirza Shah Abbas was referred to as Akbar’s grandson in the story. He is the grandson of Akbar II while the story is about Akbar I. The same has been corrected in the report.] Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	22nd January 2021 / 1:38 pm / Last updated: 22nd January 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-photo-of-mirza-shah-abbas-son-of-bahadur-shah-zafar-shared-as-mohammad-akbar-to-show-he-was-weak/", "author": "Kinjal" }
999	Old photo falsely shared as PM Modi made 'Chief President' in UK among 53 world leaders - Alt News Kinjal 8th October 2021 / 6:24 pm A photo of people welcoming PM Narendra Modi with applause is viral. The Hindi text below reads, “Modi was the ‘Chief President’ among the heads of 53 countries at a meeting in the United Kingdom yesterday, the same nation that enslaved us for 200 years. This will surely make every Indian’s chest swell up with pride.” The graphic is widespread on Facebook. We also received numerous requests to fact-check the image on the Alt News official mobile app and WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160). We noticed that this photo was shared on Twitter with the same claim back in 2018. 200 साल तक हमे गुलाम बनाने वाले ब्रिटेन मे, 53देशों के अध्यक्षो के बीच “ मोदी महाध्यक्ष” कसम से अगर आप सचे भारतीय है तो आपकी छाती भी 56इंच की हो गई होगी जरा इस फोटो को गौर से देखिये, भारत के इतिहास में कितने ही प्रधानमंत्री आये और गये लेकिन यह दृश्य देखने को नहीं मिला pic.twitter.com/W4WWLWx7bd — राजस्थानी  (@_Rajasthani) December 2, 2018 Alt News had published a fact-check report on this image when it was morphed to show Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was also present at the event. The image was circulated with the claim that Khan was trying to hide during the arrival of Prime Minister Modi. The original photo is now viral. According to a report by DNA dated January 23, 2018, PM Narendra Modi had participated in the International Business Council in Davos. In attendance were the top global CEOs who had arrived to participate in the annual World Economic Forum. The photo was taken at the same gathering. Indian External Affairs Ministry also tweeted this photo on January 23, 2018. The world applauds 1.3 bn people of India at the @wef in #Davos appreciating the remarkable transformation in improving the business climate. PM @narendramodi interacting with the top global CEOs at the International Business Council event. #IndiaMeansBusiness pic.twitter.com/AfvfarnKGS — Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) January 23, 2018 To sum it up, the claim accompanying this image is completely false. It was taken in Davos, Switzerland, and not the UK. In addition, we did not find any media reports to corroborate PM Modi was made the ‘Chief President’ among heads of 53 nations. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th October 2021 / 6:24 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-pm-modi-became-chief-president-in-53-nations-meeting-in-britain/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,000	Fact Check: Did PM Modi say Karnataka has 7 lakh villages? - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 5th February 2018 / 8:27 pm It was claimed on social media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally at Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 4 had reportedly said that there are 7 lakh villages in Karnataka that are yet to be electrified. This claim was made based on a headline flashed on a TV news channel ‘News9’ which reported that PM Modi had said that ‘7 lakh villages in Karnataka are living in the dark’. News9’s report was picked up by social media users, who took potshots at PM Modi over this alleged claim. There are 6,40,867 villages in entire India, let alone Karnataka; 80% of these were electrified by 2014. An example of deliberate lies by PM Modi in election rallies. pic.twitter.com/3sQRKvoPFT — Drajsuman Singh (@Drajsumansingh) February 5, 2018 PM Modi’s alleged claim was also latched on to by the opposition. Congress leader Pawan Khera was among those who tweeted about the PM’s alleged gaffe. According to Modiji, there are 7 lakh unelectrified villages in Karnataka. Just so that he knows, there are 6,40,867 villages in India. Not the first time @PMOIndia caught peddling misinformation. Thanks Dr Singh for pointing this out. https://t.co/N9WOyzAC8F — Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) February 5, 2018 This particular piece of information turned out to be false. Posted below is the video in which PM Modi spoke about the state of electrification in Karnataka. As can be heard clearly, PM Modi is saying, “Aap sochiye, agar ek din bengaluru mein bijli na aye, toh kaisa hahakar mach jayega, lekin karnataka mein aise 7 lakh aur pure desh mein aise 4 crore GHAR hain jo azadi ke itne varsho baad bhi andhere ki zindagi ji rahe hain” (Please think, if Bengaluru does not get electricity for a day, what chaos will it lead to. But in Karnataka, there are 7 lakh and in the entire country 4 crore households which are living in darkness even after so many years of independence). PM Modi is referring to households and not villages when he refers to the figure of 7 lakh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdGnVD-Vyic According to the official data which can be accessed here, Karnataka has roughly 6.5 lakh households which are still in need of electricity. PM’s claim of 7 lakh unelectrified households is in the range of the official data available. In terms of percentage of electrification achieved, Karnataka stands at 93% and is among the better performing states in terms of electrification coverage and higher than BJP ruled states such as Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th February 2018 / 8:27 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-pm-modi-say-karnataka-7-lakh-villages/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
1,001	Fact Check: PM Modi’s claim about improved strength of Indian passport - Alt News Sam Jawed 22nd January 2018 / 8:29 pm / Last updated: 2nd August 2019 “Maybe the people who live abroad and those people who keep travelling abroad, they will know the respect that the Indian passport carries today. I don’t think earlier anybody experienced the strength of the Indian passport.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this statement in his recent interview to Times Now. Is there any truth behind such a claim? Alt News decided to do a quick fact check on PM Modi’s claim about the respect commanded by the Indian passport. Maybe the people who live abroad and those people who keep travelling abroad, they will know the respect that the Indian Passport carries today: PM @narendramodi #PMModiSpeaksToTimesNow @RShivshankar @navikakumar @PMOIndia @BJP4India https://t.co/cf51HRM8Tv pic.twitter.com/ruzPisCCk6 — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 21, 2018 The following is the excerpt from the interview where PM Modi was asked about the country’s image abroad, to which he responded. Navika Kumar (Times Now): Pradhan Mantri ji, aap jab desh ke bahar jaate hain toh desh ki image badhane ki koshish karte hain, lekin hamare yahan kuch leaders hain jo bahar jaate hain aur diaspora ko kehte hain ki Bharat mein sab kuch kharab chal raha hai aur apki madad ki zaroorat hai. Aap wapas aaiye kuch madad kariye, Bharat mein sab doobta jaa raha hai. Unse aap kya kahenge? (Prime Minister, you have been trying to improve India’s image abroad, but some of our leaders go abroad and tell the Indian diaspora that things are not working well in India. They urge Indians abroad to return home and help because everything is getting worse and the country is sinking. What will you say to those people? ) PM Modi: Shayad jo log videsh mein rehte hain aur jo videsh ja ke aate rehte hain, aaj Bharat ke passport ki jo izzat hai, aaj Bharat ke passport ki jo takat hai, shayad hi pehle kabhi itni takat anubhav hoti hogi. Aaj , airport par enter hote hi immigration officer ke pass jab Bharat ka passport koi rakhta hai, toh bade shaan ke saath, saamne wala bade garv ke saath use dekhta hai. Ye har koi batata hai. Har koi kehta hai duniya mein aaj hum; main samajhta hoon ki satya yahi hai. (Maybe the people who live abroad and those people who keep travelling abroad, they will know the respect and strength that the Indian passport carries today. I don’t think earlier, anybody experienced the strength of the Indian passport. Today when people enter any airport and place their Indian passport at the immigration counter, there is a sense of pride. This is what everybody says. I believe this is the truth. Power of a passport is linked to travel freedom the holders of the passport enjoy. Luckily for us data is readily available. World Economic Forum, where the prime minister is headed, has shared a survey of what it called the most “powerful passports”. #BestOf: Germany has the most powerful #passport in the world https://t.co/eYuV8xGzi4 #travel pic.twitter.com/VO4pt72Z30 — World Economic Forum (@wef) January 21, 2018 The WEF tweet is based on Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index, which is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom that their citizens enjoy. The firm analyzes the visa regulations of all countries and territories in the world and presents an index which ranks each by the number of other countries that their citizens can travel to without having to obtain a visa. The index is produced in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest database of travel information, and is published annually. Dr. Christian H. Kälin, the group chairman of Henley & Partners has been quoted by WEF as saying, “The Henley Passport Index shows individuals where they lie on the spectrum of global mobility, revealing the strength that their passport has in relation to other passports”. According to the 2018 index, India ranks 86 with a score of 49. The ranking of the countries in 2018 is as follows: Has India improved its score and ranking over the years, particularly since 2014 as PM Modi claims? In 2014 there were 52 countries where Indian passport holders could travel without having to obtain a visa. This number has reduced to 49 in 2018. Here is a look at India’s score and ranking over the years – the power of an Indian passport has remained in the bottom 25% both before and after 2014: As seen from the above table, the standing of Indian passport since the time PM Modi entered office remains the same or even marginally worse. NDTV Anchor Ravish Kumar also wrote about this issue on his Facebook page and his post can be read here. There seems to be no evidence to back PM Modi’s statement, “I don’t think earlier anybody experienced the strength of Indian passport”. Such hollow claims are of little use and serve little purpose. We hope PM Modi and his government will work towards making a real improvement in Indian passport’s ranking by easing visa regulations through bilateral treaties and agreements, thus making international travel easier. Nobody's cheerleader, I tweet at @samjawed65 Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	22nd January 2018 / 8:29 pm / Last updated: 2nd August 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-pm-modis-claim-improved-strength-indian-passport/", "author": "Sam Jawed" }
1,002	Fact-check: PM's claim about expedited justice in crime against women - Alt News Jignesh Patel 2nd February 2019 / 9:22 pm / Last updated: 3rd February 2019 On January 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with young professionals at the New India Youth Conclave in Surat during his day-long visit to Gujarat. Addressing the conclave, Modi claimed that after he entered office, for cases of rape, culprits have been sentenced within a month of the crime. At 28:30 mins in the video posted by PMO India, Modi can be heard saying, “इस देश में बलात्कार पहले भी होते थे। समाज की इस बुराई, कलंक ऐसा है कि आज भी उस घटनाओं को सुनने को मिलता है। माथा शर्म से झुक जाता है, दर्द होता है लेकिन आज 3 दिन में फांसी, 7 दिन मे 11 दिन में फांसी, एक महीने में फांसी लगातार उन बेटियों को न्याय दिलाने के लिए एक के बाद एक कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं और नतीजे नजर आ रहे हैं। लेकिन देश का दुर्भाग्य है कि बलात्कार की घटना तो 7 दिन तक टीवी पर चलाई जाती है लेकिन फांसी की सजा की खबर आकर के चली जाती है।” Translation: Earlier too, rapes were committed in the country. It is a social evil and such a stigma that we still hear about such incidents. (Our) heads hang in shame, it hurts, but today, death sentences (फांसी) in three days, in seven days, in eleven days, in a month. We are continuously taking steps to ensure justice for those daughters and the results are evident. It is unfortunate for the country that TV channels run news about incidents of rape for seven days, but news about death sentencenews about death sentence verdicts never gets prominence. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy5hgSlNW40?start=1699] The official Twitter handle of BJP misquoted Modi’s statement by saying, “लेकिन आज अपराधियों को 3,7,11,30 दिन में फांसी होती है (But today culprits are being hanged in 3, 7, 11, 30 days -translated)”. As stated in the complete translation above, he was referring to the death sentences awarded within a month of the crime, and NOT the execution itself. इस देश में बलात्कार पहले भी होते थे और आज भी ऐसी दुखद घटनाएं सुनने को मिलती हैं, लेकिन आज अपराधियों को 3,7,11,30 दिन में फांसी होती है। उन बेटियों को न्याय दिलाने के लिए लगातार प्रयास हो रहे हैं : प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी #YuvaBharatWithModi — BJP (@BJP4India) January 30, 2019 ANI has also misquoted the Prime Minister by stating, “Now, culprits are hanged within 3 days, 7days, 11 days & a month.” Reading the translation, it is evident that “Fansi” was translated to word “hanged”, whereas it should have been “death sentence” in context of the statement. A little later in his speech, PM Modi refers to Fansi ki sazaa (death sentence). PM Narendra Modi in Surat: There used to be rapes in this country earlier too, it is a shame that we still hear about such cases. Now, culprits are hanged within 3 days, 7days, 11 days & a month. Steps are being taken continuously to get daughters justice & results are evident. pic.twitter.com/eA1SBipQUH — ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2019 Here, PM Modi was referring to the cases in which death sentence was pronounced in record timings by the local courts. A few such instances are presented below. In August 2018, a local court in Madhya Pradesh had sentenced a man to life-imprisonment for raping a six-year-old girl. A report published by The Indian Express on August 8, 2018 stated, “Datia Additional Sessions Judge Hitendra Dwivedi awarded life sentence to Motilal Ahirwar (25) after convicting him under section 376 (A)(B) of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 introduced recently as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, prosecution officer Pushpendra Kumar Garg said”. The trial was completed in three working days. Another local court in Indore, Madhya Pradesh had sentenced a man to death for raping and killing a three-month-old girl near Rajwada. An article published by The Times of India stated, “The death sentence will be executed after it is confirmed by the high court”. The accused was convicted within a record 21 days. In July 2017, Rajkumar Kol, an autorickshaw driver was sentenced to death for raping a minor by a court in Katni, in Madhya Pradesh after a trail that lasted for five day.. “He was arrested on July 7. Police filed the chargesheet on June 12 and the hearing on the case started on June 23.”, stated a Times of India report published on July 27, 2018. Three months later, reports emerged that the Madhya Pradesh High Court had commuted the death sentence to rigorous imprisonment for 20 years. In two more individual rape cases from Rajasthan and Karnataka, culprits were awarded a death sentence within 22 days. Hence, the statement made by Modi does not tally with the figures. However, he is not entirely off the mark in stating that death sentences have been pronounced within a month of the commitment of a crime of rape. According to a IndiaSpend report, a total of 109 prisoners were sentenced with capital punishment in the year 2017, out of which 43 were sentenced to death for murder involving sexual offences, with the main offence being rape along with murder. It also stated, “This was up 79% from 24 persons who were awarded the death sentence for similar crimes in 2016.” Photo credit: IndiaSpend and Amnesty International Considering the broad principle laid out by the Supreme Court in which only crimes related to the ‘rarest of the rare’ category qualify for capital punishment, the number of capital punishment cases across the country are few. Furthermore, the process from trial to execution is tedious. This is due to mercy petitions filed in several cases, which are at the discretion of the President. Insofar as the execution of death sentence is concerned, only four convicts have been hanged to death since 2004, with the most recent case of Yakub Memon, sentenced for his role in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case. The most recent instance of capital punishment for rape dates back to 2004, when Dhanonjay Chatterjee was hanged for the rape and murder of a teenage girl in Kolkata in 1990. Chatterjee’s trial had lasted nearly 14 years before he was finally sent to the gallows. The last ‘Crime in India’ report published by the National Crime Record Bureau, an organisation under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was for the year, 2016. According to the ‘Crime in India’ for 2016, the number of cases reported in 2016 was 38,947 whereas cases pending for investigation from previous years was 16,124. The total number of cases under investigation for the year 2016 was 55,071. It also may be noted that 1,52,165 cases were awaiting trail. The latest NCRB statistics was published in 2016. Even if we assume that the number of rape cases have remained largely the same in the past 3 years, the prime minister’s conclusion that the state of criminal justice system has drastically improved is a stretch. PM Modi’s reasoning is based on only selected cases of expedited sentencing. Narendra Modi’s suggestion that the justice system in India, especially for crime against women, has improved significantly based on the selective cases where rape accused have been sentenced in an expedited fashion, is grossly misleading. However, the Prime Minister had been misquoted by ANI and amusingly, by his own party. In his speech, he was referring to ‘death sentences’ and not ‘hangings’. In the past, Alt News had published a detailed analysis by Dr Jaydip Sarkar, where he analysed if capital punishment is the solution to rising sexual crimes against women and concluded that it is not. Jaydip Sarkar has been involved in the assessment of certain high-profile criminal cases in India and previously trained in London handling cases with the New Scotland Yard. He has special clinical interest in the assessment and management of sex offenders, both in secure care as well as community with a range of external stakeholders. Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	2nd February 2019 / 9:22 pm / Last updated: 3rd February 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-pms-claim-about-expedited-justice-in-crime-against-women/", "author": "Jignesh Patel" }
1,003	Fact-check: Rahul Gandhi and BJP's claim about PM's whereabouts after Pulwama terror attack - Alt News Pratik Sinha & Arjun Sidharth 24th February 2019 / 12:26 am / Last updated: 15th March 2019 पुलवामा में 40 जवानों की शहादत की खबर के तीन घंटे बाद भी ‘प्राइम टाइम मिनिस्टर’ फिल्म शूटिंग करते रहे। देश के दिल व शहीदों के घरों में दर्द का दरिया उमड़ा था और वे हँसते हुए दरिया में फोटोशूट पर थे। #PhotoShootSarkar (Three hours after news of martyrdom of 40 jawans in Pulwama, ‘Prime Time Minister’ was shooting for a film. Amid a sea of sorrow in the country and in the homes of the martyrs, he was engaged in a photoshoot- translated). The above message was tweeted by Congress president Rahul Gandhi in the morning of February 22, along with a set of photographs featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi. पुलवामा में 40 जवानों की शहादत की खबर के तीन घंटे बाद भी ‘प्राइम टाइम मिनिस्टर’ फिल्म शूटिंग करते रहे। देश के दिल व शहीदों के घरों में दर्द का दरिया उमड़ा था और वे हँसते हुए दरिया में फोटोशूट पर थे।#PhotoShootSarkar pic.twitter.com/OMY7GezsZN — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 22, 2019 On the basis of these photos, Gandhi lashed out at PM Modi, saying the latter was shooting for a film three hours after news of the terror attack broke out. According to reports, the Pulwama terror attack occurred at around 3:10-3:15 pm on February 14 when a car laden with explosives rammed into a bus ferrying CRPF personnel. BJP accused Congress of fudging facts and asserted that the video shoot referred to by Congress had concluded well before the attack on the CRPF convoy. In a statement by a senior government functionary to TOI, it was claimed, “On the afternoon of 14th February, PM announced the launch of three projects at Jim Corbett National Park. These projects relate to rescue centre, safari facilities and surveillance systems. He then did a short shoot for tourism promotion and climate change awareness with Discovery and was heading to Rudrapur for a public meeting. It is on the way from Corbett to Rudrapur around after 3.30 that news of the attack trickled in. From 4pm to 4.45pm he held constant review calls and meetings on the situation.” The official further added, “The PM eventually decided to address the gathering over phone around 5.15pm and wound it up in 5-7 minutes. After this, he immediately left for Bareilly via road to take a flight back to Delhi from there.” The official also told TOI that the PM halted at a rest house in Ramnagar and again reviewed the situation and gave the necessary orders. The itinerary specified in the TOI article has no details as to when the Discovery shoot started or ended, the issue which is of primary contention. Rather, the government functionary chose to use the indeterminate phrase “short shoot” which doesn’t give any sense of the length of the shoot. The itinerary also doesn’t have any timestamps of PM’s activities till 4 pm. Further, according to the statement by the government functionary to TOI, the PM left for Bareilly right after addressing a political rally in Rudrapur for 5-7 minutes at 5:15pm over a phone call. Alt News found live Facebook videos shot by people in the areas through which the PM’s cavalcade passed, and backtracked it to ascertain the veracity of this claim. The PM according to multiple media reports was at Khinnanauli guest house where he did his shoot with Discovery. After leaving from the guest house, he exited the forest reserve through the Dhangari gate, and proceeded to the PWD rest house, before making his way to Bareilly. These places are mapped in the following image with a scale of 5kms. Alt News found multiple live Facebook videos at 7:29 pm at Lakhanpur Chungi in Ramnagar, where PM was making his way from PWD Rest House towards Bareilly. We established the location of the video as Lakhanpur Chungi by speaking to a Twitter user who had posted a video from the same location. प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी का काफिला रामनगर Posted by Ankit Dangwal on Thursday, 14 February 2019 The total distance between Khinnanauli rest house and the PWD Guest house is upwards of 37kms. According to a report by Amarujala, the PM spent about 19 minutes at PWD Rest House in Ramnagar before proceeding towards Bareilly. Considering that PM crossed Lakhimpura Chungi at 7:30 pm, he probably arrived at PWD Guest house in the 7:00-7:10pm range. We also found a live YouTube Video at 6:19 pm which claimed that PM is in Ramnagar, which would suggest that PM has already exited the forest reserve at this point in time. With a distance of close to 20kms from Khannauli Guest House to the Dhangari gate and windy roads inside the reserve, it can be assumed that PM started from the Guest House sometime around 5:30pm which is consistent with BJP’s claims that the PM left for Bareilly soon after addressing the Rudrapur meeting at 5:15 pm. However, regarding BJP’s claim that PM left for Rudrapur at 3:30 pm, there is no evidence of PM exiting the forest reserve in that time range. BJP’s timeline is mute about PM’s location when he was conducting the calls to discuss the situation. Based on various media reports and live videos, Alt News pieced out the possible timeline of PM’s visit. 12:10 pm: Arrival at Saint Mary’s Inter College in Afzalgarh via helicopter 12:30 pm: PM leaves for Kalagarh Dam 12:45-1:15pm: Boat ride on Ramganga reservoir towards Dhikala. 30-40 minute boat ride. 1:25-1:55pm: PM reaches Jim Corbett park (Dhikala zone) 3:10 pm: Pulwama terror attack 5:15 pm: Addresses the rally at Rudrapur over a phone call 5:30 pm: PM leaves for Bareilly via PWD Guest House in Ramnagar 6:00-6:15 pm: Exits the Corbett Reserve via Dhangari gate 7:00 pm: Reaches PWD rest house 7:29 pm: Passes by Lakhanpur Chungi in Ramnagar, while traveling towards Bareilly. The attack occurred around 3:10-3:15 pm. Rahul Gandhi has posted four photographs, out of which three photos show PM Modi taking a boat ride. This boat ride was from the Ramganga sarovar to Dhikala, and was undertaken BEFORE the terror attack at Pulwama. This is corroborated not only by news reports but also by a tweet by a BJP worker from Uttarakhand, who had posted one of the photos of PM Modi that Rahul Gandhi had used in his tweet. मा० प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी जी मोटर बोट में सवार होकर कॉर्बेट नेशनल पार्क के ढिकाला जोन को रवाना हो गए है।#NamoInDevBhumi pic.twitter.com/x8jTAZqLnf — Vishwaketu Vaidya (@VishwaketuVaid5) February 14, 2019 Notice the time of the above tweet. It was tweeted at 1:52 pm, more than a hour before the Pulwama attack. Moreover, ETV Uttarakhand had reported on February 14 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “reached Kalagadh at around 12. Here he enjoyed the beauty of the Ramganga dam. After a tour of the dam, the Prime Minister reached Corbett park via a boat. CM Trivendra Singh Rawat was also present with him. At 2 in the afternoon, PM reached Corbett park. From here, he left for Dhikala” (translated from Hindi). This conclusively establishes that the three photos of PM Modi taking a boat ride, posted by Rahul Gandhi, were clicked before the terror attack. The fourth photo posted by Rahul Gandhi shows Prime Minister Modi’s posterior, and is distinct from the other photos. PM Modi is seemingly posing for the camera, as a cameraperson can be seen clicking his picture. The above photograph is distinct from the other three images posted by Rahul Gandhi, as PM Narendra Modi is wearing a different set of clothes. This suggests that it was taken at another time. We zoomed into the images for a proper comparison. It may be noted that PM Modi arrived at the Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun in the morning of February 14. Here again, he is wearing clothes which are different from what he wore during his chopper ride later in the day to Kalagadh. Alt News looked at the footage of PM Modi’s arrival by chopper at St Mary College, from where he took a convoy to Kalagadh dam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rx6l8mz274 If you notice PM Modi’s attire in the above video, the attire he wore for the fourth photo doesn’t match his attire in the video. This suggests that the fourth photograph which is unrelated to the other three, was clicked later i.e. after the boat ride. In an attempt to trace the sequence of events on February 14, Alt News accessed an article by the leading Hindi daily Amarujala, which had reported that a crew of Discovery Channel was onboard the boat which ferried PM Modi from Kalagadh dam to Dhikala. Amar Ujala also reported that the Discovery Channel crew videographed PM Modi on the boat. Later, PM Modi went to Khinanauli. Interestingly, the article now stands deleted, but its archived version can be accessed here. Alt News found one more article by Amar Ujala, in which the same is mentioned- PM Modi took a boat ride from Kalagadh dam to Dhikala. Later, PM Modi went to Khinanauli where the shooting continued according to the Amar Ujala report. Insofar as the fourth photo posted by Rahul Gandhi is concerned, it was most likely taken AFTER the boat ride, in Dhikala zone of Corbett Park, assuming he would not have got a chance to change his clothes before his arrival there. In conclusion, while three of the four photographs used by Rahul Gandhi to take potshots at PM Modi were clicked before the Pulwama attack, the time when the fourth picture was snapped cannot be determined without the exact itinerary of the Prime Minister. Congress’s claim that the PM was shooting with Discovery till 6:30 pm doesn’t bear out, but there is no conclusive evidence presented by BJP that the shoot was over before the news of Pulwama attack reached the PM. At the same time, BJP’s response leaves many unanswered questions. What was the PM doing at the time Pulwama attack happened and right after? If he received the news of the terror attack on his way to Rudrapur, why is there no evidence of him exiting the reserve? If he had already left the guest house and was on his way to Rudrapur, where did he do his meetings and calls? Why has the BJP response avoided giving the exact itinerary of the PM leading to the Pulwama attack and right after? Last but not the least, what was the exact time between which the Discovery shoot happened? Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th February 2019 / 12:26 am / Last updated: 15th March 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rahul-gandhi-and-bjps-claim-about-pms-whereabouts-after-pulwama-terror-attack/", "author": "Pratik Sinha & Arjun Sidharth" }
1,004	Girl seen with Rahul Gandhi in viral pic is not the one who had shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 26th September 2022 / 12:13 pm There was another user on Instagram who had uploaded a video of Miva with Rahul Gandhi, and had tagged her. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	26th September 2022 / 12:13 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rahul-gandhi-bharat-jodo-yatra-amulya-leona-false-claim/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
1,005	Fact check: Rahul Gandhi's claim on wealth inequality in India - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 24th January 2018 / 8:22 pm Congress President Rahul Gandhi took a dig at the Government and the Prime Minister when he tweeted the result on a survey on inequality, which showed India in poor light over intranational distribution of wealth. Gandhi tweeted, “Dear PM, Welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India’s population gets 73% of its wealth?” The Congress President’s tweet came around the time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was addressing the plenary session of the World Economic Forum at Davos on January 23. Dear PM, Welcome to Switzerland! Please tell DAVOS why 1% of India’s population gets 73% of its wealth? I’m attaching a report for your ready reference. https://t.co/lLSNOig5pE — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 23, 2018 Rahul Gandhi was referring to a report by Oxfam, a confederation of 14 organisations that work together on socio-economic issues. The report, titled ‘Reward work, not wealth’ was published just ahead of the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. The Oxfam report is based on the Global Wealth Report, 2017 released annually by the Swiss financial services firm Credit Suisse. So, what is the truth? Does 1% of India’s wealthiest get 73% of its total wealth as claimed by Rahul Gandhi? Oxfam’s report mentions that of the total wealth generated in India in 2017, 73% of it accrued to the wealthiest 1%. Although Oxfam mentions that its report is based on the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report 2017, the organisation has its own methodology for calculation on the basis of which this statistic has probably been arrived at. This figure is thus to be seen separately from the Credit Suisse report figures. While Rahul Gandhi was ostensibly referring to the Oxfam report in his tweet, he failed to mention that the numbers quoted in the report are specific to the year 2017 and do not represent the general distribution of wealth in India. While the article by The Wire which Gandhi linked to his tweet clearly mentions in the very first line that ‘India’s richest 1% garnered as much as 73% of the total wealth generated in the country in 2017’, Gandhi’s tweet does not do so, and comes across as misleading. Gandhi’s tweet expectedly came under the scanner. OpIndia published an article which ridiculed the Congress President’s claim. A number of users on twitter too claimed that Gandhi had got his facts wrong. n/n Indeed, if Credit Suisse is to be believed, India’s income inequality has actually REDUCED in the last year. 2016: Top 1% garnered 58% of total wealth; top 10% garnered 80% 2017: Top 1% garnered 45% of total wealth; top 10% garnered 73% cc @narendramodi @OfficeOfRG pic.twitter.com/3EnKAiq5EQ — Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) January 23, 2018 So then, what is the status of wealth inequality since the NDA Govt came to power? Alt News looked at the Global Wealth Databook released by Credit Suisse for the years 2014 to 2017. The Oxfam report had based its findings on this annual report by Credit Suisse. Here is what we found: Top percentile=Top 1% of population (wealth). Top decile=Top 10% of population (wealth) As can be seen, the total wealth of the wealthiest 1% of the population in India in 2014 was 49% of the total wealth in the country. The top 10% of the population accounted for 74% of the total wealth. In 2015, the number for the top percentile rose to 53%, while that for the top decile increased to 76.3%. For 2016, the corresponding numbers were 58.4% and 80.7% respectively. The interesting part is the numbers for 2017 show an improvement for India. According to the Global Wealth Handbook 2017, the percentage of wealth held by the top 1% of the population fell to 45.1%. For the top decile, the number stood at 73.3%. Thus, according to the report, the proportion of wealth in the hands of the wealthiest 1% and the wealthiest 10% of the population declined significantly in 2017 as compared to a year before. However, there is a catch here. Credit Suisse in the 2017 report has revised its database. The report states, “This year revisions to the UN population estimates have had an immediate and obvious impact on our estimates of wealth per adult. This has been compounded by new data on the level of non-financial assets in China, India and Russia, which has led us to revise wealth per adult upwards in each of these countries”. As a consequence, the proportion of wealth held by the wealthiest 1% has shown a corresponding decline. Is inequality of wealth a recent phenomenon in India, or has it been growing over the years? Alt News looked at data contained in the World Inequality Report, 2018. According to the findings of the report, income inequality has been on the rise from the early 1990s when liberalisation of the economy was undertaken. Here, it must be noted that income inequality IS NOT EQUAL to wealth inequality. This broad trend is confirmed by another statistical measure: The Gini coefficient, a statistical measure which determines relative inequality within countries. The Gini index too generally measures inequality in income. In this index, a value of 0 (or 0%) represents perfect equality whereas a value of 1 (or 100%) represents perfect inequality. India’s Gini coefficient has steadily risen from 45.18% in 1990 to 51.36% in 2013. A number of studies have concluded that income and wealth inequality in India has sharply risen from the 1990s. The cause for greater disparity is generally attributed to the policy of liberalisation ushered in by the Government in 1991. The debate on income inequality has been contentious among policymakers. While there are those who point out that the trend is ominous and reflective of the failure of liberalisation, others have taken recourse to India’s rising GDP and per capita income in the last two decades to suggest greater wealth creation has benefited more than one section of society. In either case, economic inequality is not a new phenomenon if we consider the period from 1990-2017. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th January 2018 / 8:22 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rahul-gandhis-claim-wealth-inequality-india/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
1,006	Fact-check: Did Rajasthan govt pass law to protect mosques and madrasas? - Alt News Kinjal 3rd September 2021 / 5:25 pm A screenshot of public notice has been making the rounds on social media recently. Citing the offences listed under Sections 427 and 2/3 of the Public Property Act 1985, it says that individuals can be imprisoned for three years. The offences include damaging mosque property, obstructing mosque functioning or operations, staff, or intimidating any member affiliated with the mosque. The offences are categorised as non-bailable. The image is widespread on Facebook and Twitter with the claim that the change has been brought about by the Rajasthan government. [Viral Hindi message: राजस्थान कांग्रेस सरकार के द्वारा बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण IPc की धारा में मदरसा मस्जिद के संदर्भ में निर्णय लेकर तमाम आलम ए इस्लाम के लोगों को राहत.] We also received a few requests to verify it on the Alt News mobile app and WhatsApp number. Alt News will investigate the claims being made in the picture one by one. 1. Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act came into effect in 1984. However, the notice has erroneously written ‘1985’. The Act has provisions that cover punishment for causing damage to public property. According to the Act, public property is defined as any property which is owned by, or in the possession of, or under the control of the Central Government; any State government; any local authority; any corporation established by or under any Central, Provincial or State Act; any company or any institution. Damage to this property is punishable by imprisonment of at least one year or a fine. There is also a provision for bail in this legislation. The Act talks about punishing offenders for causing damage to any public property, not just mosques. 2. IPC Section 427 As per Section 427, individuals who commit mischief and thereby cause loss or damage to the amount of Rs 50 or more would be punished under this section with a jail term which may extend to two years and/or a fine. How are laws framed? The Legislative Assembly has the power to draft laws on 66 subjects in the State List. Apart from this, it can also introduce legislation on 47 subjects on the Concurrent List. However, these cannot be in contradiction with laws made by the Parliament. In such cases, only the law made by the Parliament would be in effect. Any bill passed by the State government is sent to the governor and passed after his approval. There have been no reports on such a bill being introduced or any such Act being passed in the Rajasthan Assembly. Neither is there any information to corroborate the claims in the viral image on the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly website. The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Act 2021 was recently introduced in the Assembly. Rajasthan government debunks viral notice Lokesh Sharma, OSD to Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, clarified that the image is fake. #Rajasthan के संदर्भ में ऐसे झूठे और भ्रामक तथ्य वायरल करने वालों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई की जाएगी। सभी से आग्रह है कि इस प्रकार के दुष्प्रचार में शामिल होने से बचें और इसे प्रचारित-प्रसारित होने से रोकने में सहायक बनें। pic.twitter.com/tP9h8MMOBf — Lokesh Sharma (@_lokeshsharma) August 31, 2021 Rajasthan police also posted a tweet denying the claims in circulation. 🚨#FakeNews Alert⚠️~ कुछ समय से शरारती तत्वों द्वारा आमजन को गुमराह करने के उद्देश्य से एक मैसेज #SocialMedia पर वायरल हो रहा है जो की मिथ्या एवं भ्रामक है। हमारा आपसे निवेदन है ऐसे किसी भी मैसेज को आगे फॉरवर्ड न करे। इस तरह के दुष्प्रचार करने पर कानूनी कार्रवाई की जा सकती है। pic.twitter.com/Qo03EW7t7t — Rajasthan Police (@PoliceRajasthan) August 31, 2021 A fake image was, therefore, circulated on social media with the false claim that the Rajasthan government amended Sections 427 of the IPC and 2/3 of the Public Property Act 1985 in order to protect mosques/madrasas. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd September 2021 / 5:25 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rajasthan-govt-didnt-make-any-law-to-protect-mosque-or-madarsa/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,007	Old image shared as Ramdev overdosed on cow urine to avoid coronavirus infection - Alt News Kinjal 21st March 2020 / 5:47 pm A photo of Baba Ramdev visibly ill has gone viral. He is surrounded by doctors and a man in orange robes wearing a medical mask. Social media users claim that Ramdev drank cow urine in excess to avoid the coronavirus. As a result, his condition worsened. A Facebook page named ‘Ravish’s Army’ posted the viral image. It has been shared 10,000 times (archived post). Similarly, a Twitter user also shared the viral image (archived tweet). This picture is being shared with hashtag ‘farzinewsmeme’ on Facebook and Twitter. Alt News also received several requests to fact-check the images on WhatsApp (+917600011160) and on our official Android application. Alt News performed a reverse image search on Google and found the viral image in a 2011 article by India Today. According to the report, Ramdev broke a nine-day hunger strike against black money in Dehradun Hospital on June 12, 2011. Therefore, the social media claim associated with the viral image. This isn’t the first time Ramdev’s image has gone viral with false claims. Last year, another image from the same incident was shared with the claim Ramdev underwent knee surgery in Germany. You can read the report by Alt News here. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	21st March 2020 / 5:47 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-ramdev-coronavirus-cow-urine/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,008	Fake account in Nita Ambani's name claims Reliance gifted solar power plant for Ram Mandir - Alt News Kinjal 19th January 2021 / 5:49 pm A Twitter handle @NitaAmabani posted a tweet on January 11 which reads, “Reliance gifted a solar power plant to Ram Mandir that’s why these Mughal descendants don’t like us.” The account, created in September last year, has over 17,000 followers with ‘Reliance Group’ in the bio. (Archive link) रिलांयस ने राम मंदिर को कम्प्लीट “सौर ऊर्जा” प्लांट भेंट किया इसलिए चुभता है हमारा अम्बानी परिवार इन मुगलो की औलादो को.. — Nita Ambani (@NitaAmabani) January 11, 2021 The tweet was also posted on the Facebook group, ‘कट्टर मोदी समर्थक ग्रुप से जुड़ते ही अपने 51 साथियो को भी जोड़े (Join this group for hardcore Modi supporters and add 51 friends). This post had been shared more than 500 times at the time of writing. The viral claim has been getting a lot of shares on Twitter and Facebook. Alt News performed a keyword search and found an Economic Times article from January 15, 2021. It stated that a nationwide fundraising campaign was being organized for the construction of the Ram Mandir from January 15 to February 27. NDTV reported that President Ram Nath Kovind had donated an amount of Rs 5,00,100. However, we did not find any reports of the Reliance Group making a donation. There is also no information about this on the Reliance Foundation’s Twitter account. Nita Ambani does not have a Twitter account. The handle which tweeted the viral claim is a fake account created in her name. The first clue is that it’s not verified. Apart from this, a quick look through the older tweets posted by this user are enough to establish that it is a fake account. Several political tweets have been issued from this account, with some targeting leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. Had a well-known public figure like Nita Ambani made political statements against opposition leaders, they wouldn’t have gone unnoticed in the media. In a few replies to other tweets from earlier, the account’s username appears as @Ridhika_IAS. This means that it later changed its username to @NitaAmabani. You can see the archived version of the Twitter handle @Ridhika_IAS here. A search using the keyword ‘@Ridhika_IAS’ brings up tweets posted by @NitaAmabani. When we compared the archived tweets with the current tweets posted by this handle, we noticed that the tweets are exactly the same apart from the changes username. We also reached out to the Reliance Group and were informed by a spokesperson, “This Twitter account does not belong to Nita Ambani. ‘Ambani’ is also spelt wrong in the username @NitaAmabani.” In 2019, another fake handle @NitaAmbaani had put out many tweets in support of Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	19th January 2021 / 5:49 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-reliance-group-donation-solar-plant-ram-mandir-false/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,009	Photo morphed to claim RSS paying respect to Queen Elizabeth during freedom struggle - Alt News Priyanka Jha 23rd September 2021 / 6:53 pm / Last updated: 23rd September 2021 A black and white photo that purportedly shows RSS volunteers paying respects to the Queen of England has been circulating on social media. It shows a group of men dressed in the RSS uniform standing in a line as the Queen passes in front of them. Facebook user ‘Aap Ka Brijesh Yadav‘ shared this picture with the caption “Britain Mata ki Jai. This photo was very difficult to get my hands on, let’s make sure it reaches every phone. Let’s make sure everyone knows who the biggest traitors to the country are. Some traitors were saluting the Queen of England while the rest of the country was up in arms against the British. I have heard that their descendants call themselves patriots.” A Facebook page called ‘सच्चाई की आवाज़‘ (Sachai Ki Awaz) also shared the image and wrote, “Traitors are only capable of betrayal”. It received close to 500 likes. We performed a reverse image search of this image after cropping out the portion containing the text and found the original version in a Deccan Herald report from February 2015. While the RSS workers are visible here, there is no one walking in front of them. Clearly, the viral image has been edited. The Times of India also carried it in a 2017 story. We also searched for the image of the Queen and found the original photo in a 2016 article by CNN. Queen Elizabeth II is seen inspecting men of the newly renamed Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force, at Kaduna Airport in Nigeria. The picture was captured during her Commonwealth Tour in February 1956. The viral image was created by editing these two photos, as shown below. SM Hoax Slayer had also debunked this image in 2016 when Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam had shared it while targeting the RSS. It is noteworthy that Elizabeth II took over as the Queen of England in 1952 after her father King George VI passed away. She wasn’t the Queen when India gained Independence in 1947. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	23rd September 2021 / 6:53 pm / Last updated: 23rd September 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rss-workers-are-not-saluting-british-queen-morphed-image/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
1,010	Fact Check: Are rural roads constructed in 2016-17 at an all-time high as claimed by BJP? - Alt News Sam Jawed 24th May 2017 / 11:21 am On completion of three years of BJP government, report cards on various schemes are being converted into infographics and shared widely on social media. In an eagerness to state achievements, it is easy to get carried away and report information that is either incomplete or factually incorrect. An infographic may lie but the underlying data doesn’t. Let us examine one such claim regarding construction of rural roads tweeted today by the BJP official handle, saying “Connecting and developing rural India: Construction of rural roads reached an all-time high of 133 km/day in 2016-17 under Modi Government”. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), launched in Dec 2000 provides road connectivity in rural areas of the country. It is a scheme where the government has done well. But is it really an “all time high”? The claim of 48,000 km at the rate of 133 km/day itself doesn’t match the press release issued by the Ministry of Rural Development which talks of 47,350 km at the rate of 130 km/day as the rate achieved in 2016-17. Leaving that point aside for the moment, here is a quick fact check of the two claims made in the tweet and infographic- Has the construction of roads reached an all-time high under Modi government and are the new roads being added at a pace that is faster than ever? The claim that 120,000 kms of rural roads were built in 2014-17 is correct. It is also higher than the previous three year period of 2011-14. However it is incorrect to claim that the achievements are at an “all time high”. In the period 2008-11, rural road construction was 157,631 km with 2009-10 being a peak year with 60,117 km of roads constructed. Year 2008-09 was also higher than 2016-17. As per PMGSY’s own data and press release by the Ministry of Rural Development, the complete picture of rural roads constructed in different years under PMGSY is as follows: While 2016-17 numbers are higher than the previous few years, in 2008-09 as well as 2009-10, roads constructed under UPA government were higher than that achieved in 2016-17. The claim of an “all-time high” or a “faster ever pace” are clearly incorrect. Achieving an average daily length of 130 km per day is no mean feat but again it is not an all-time high. In terms of average km per day, years 2008-09 and 2009-10 were higher than the current length of 130 km per day. There is no doubt that 2016-17 has been a good year but by no means is it the best year ever for rural road construction as claimed by BJP. A minor point to note here is that as per the press release and other tweets of the official PMGSY handle, the data for 2016-17 is 47,350 km with an average of 130 km/day. Though a minor discrepancy, it doesn’t match with the latest tweet of BJP claiming 48,000 km with an average of 133 km/day. When data is being put out in public space, it must be reconciled with previously shared data for the same year. Even if we assume that the new number of 133 km/day is the correct one, it is still not the highest ever achieved. Though the Ministry of Rural Development cleverly words it in its press release as the highest achieved in the last seven years, like Chinese whispers, this gets communicated by the official handle of BJP as the highest ever. It is in this form that this will be communicated to scores of WhatsApp groups around the country. BJP government has built on the good work done earlier by UPA as far as rural connectivity is concerned. The numbers are impressive on their own without a need to make a false claim. The data is publicly available for all to see on the PMGSY website. False claims like this, though good for chest thumping about achievements, have an adverse impact on credibility. That is if credibility still has any value…. Nobody's cheerleader, I tweet at @samjawed65 Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th May 2017 / 11:21 am	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-rural-roads-constructed-2016-17-time-high-claimed-bjp/", "author": "Sam Jawed" }
1,011	Fact-check: Self-proclaimed ‘whistleblower’ claims Kolkata Police HQ home to benami companies - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri 5th February 2019 / 9:39 pm / Last updated: 5th February 2019 At the backdrop of the recent CBI raid on Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s residence over the issue of Saradha chit fund scam, a rumour on social media claims that “490 benami companies are registered to the address of the city police headquarters 9/12, Lal Bazar street 1st floor, room no. 9.” The claim was given birth to by self-proclaimed ‘whistleblower’ and ‘anti-corruption activist’ Neil Haslam in the morning of February 4. “I support CBI Raid against Calcutta Police commissioner’s office & commissioner himself,” was the ending statement of his tweet. HERE IS A LIST OF 490 BENAMI COMPANIES ALL REGISTERED TO CALCUTTA POLICE HQ 9/12, LAL BAZAR STREET 1ST FLOOR, ROOM NO. 9 KOLKATA WB 700001 IN I support CBI Raid against Calcutta Police commissioner’s office & commissioner himself. #CBIRAID #ShellCompanies #Breaking pic.twitter.com/xcR06z6oJv — Neil Haslam (@neilhaslam90) February 4, 2019 Responding to a few comments on his claim, Haslam said that he had sent the list to the finance ministry in 2017 itself. “Hence the raid,” he tweeted in reference to the income tax raid that took place two years ago in Kolkata’s Lal Bazaar. But more on that later. Haslam’s list of 490 benami companies is viral on Facebook and Twitter alike. BJP Delhi spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was among those who retweeted it. The claim, however, is far from the truth. The rumour claims that these fronts for earning black money are registered to 9/12 Lal Bazar, which is the address of the city’s police headquarters. However, the Kolkata police headquarters is located at 18, Lal Bazar. The address is given on the official website of the city police. Alt News also contacted Lal Bazar police station to confirm the address and we told the same location as mentioned on the website. 9/12 is the address of the Mercantile Building, the police informed. Upon cross-checking on Google maps, we found that the Mercantile Building (9/12 Lal Bazar) is situated at a distance of 200 metres from the Lal Bazar police headquarters (18, Lal Bazar). Moreover, the buildings look completely distinct from one another. The mismatch in addresses was enough evidence to invalidate Haslam’s claims. Haslam claimed that all the companies were registered to the same address – “9/12, Lal Bazar street 1st floor, room no. 9, Kolkata.” However, a quick glance at his list reveals that quite a few companies did not have the same address. For some of them, the floor and the block were different. More importantly, many of them had “mercantile building” written as part of the address. This further proved that while Haslam claimed that 9/12 was the address of Kolkata police headquarters, his list itself gave away that the location actually houses the city’s Mercantile Building. The Mercantile Building is a colonial-era construction in the Bengali heartland. It was built in 1918 and since then has become home to numerous offices. It was in the news in 2017 when law enforcement and revenue officials raided more than 400 shell companies working out of the building. An Economic Times article had misreported the address of this building as the Kolkata police headquarters. However, the raid had nothing to do with the Lal Bazar police station. “Still famous for colonial-era commodities such as tea and dying goods and services such as typewriters and wedding bands, the bustling area in central Kolkata is almost synonymous with the city police headquarters, housed in a red brick building at 18 Lalbazar Street. Right across the street is the dilapidated Mercantile Buildings at 9/12. In its recent crackdown on shell companies, the income tax (I-T) department has identified this address as the home of 90 per cent — or 300 — of such entities in the country,” read an August 2017 report by Business Standard. Another report by Reuters said, “A high-level task force leading the investigation has found hundreds of shell companies are registered in a few buildings in the eastern city of Kolkata, according to the government note reviewed by Reuters. More than 400 companies listed their address in a dimly-lit colonial-era building at 9/12 Lalbazar Street.” The reason why Haslam’s list includes addresses that start with “9/12 Lal Bazar” but have different floors and blocks is because various shell companies were registered to different rooms of the building. In conclusion, the rumours floating online are completely baseless. The address provided by Haslam is that of the Mercantile Building in Kolkata’s Lal Bazar and not the city’s police headquarters. Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th February 2019 / 9:39 pm / Last updated: 5th February 2019	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-self-proclaimed-whistleblower-claims-kolkata-police-hq-home-of-benami-companies/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri" }
1,012	Fact-check: Did Mumbai police pay respects to Hazrat Pir Mahim for the first time under Shiv Sena? - Alt News Kinjal 15th January 2021 / 12:30 pm / Last updated: 15th May 2021 A video of a group of policemen saluting Hazrat Pir Makhdoom Ali Mahim is circulating on social media with the claim that these are Mumbai cops paying their respects to the Sufi saint for the first time because of the Shiv Sena. From the Facebook account of one Kajal Shingala, the video drew 11,000 views and over 1,200 likes. मुंबई पोलीस द्वारा पहली बार पीर हजरत मकदूम शाह को सलामी शिवसेना अब अपने अंतिम पड़ाव पर है…👇🏻 Posted by Kajal Shingala on Friday, 14 May 2021 It has also been shared on Twitter. मुंबई पोलीस द्वारा पहली बार पीर हजरत मकदूम शाह को सलामी शिवसेना अब अपने अंतिम पड़ाव पर है…👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/2heimCYHyx — राजीव कुमार रंजन (@Rajiv1318) May 14, 2021 A Facebook page named Bakauli shared the video the same claim in January this year. (Archive link) शिवसेना मुंबई पोलीस द्वारा पहली बार पीर हजरत मकदूम शाह को सलामी शिवसेना अब अपने – अंतिम पड़ाव पे .. Posted by बकलोली on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 ‘हिंदू राष्ट्र’ (Hindu Rashtra), another Facebook page, also posted the clip and accompanying claim. (Archive link) मुंबई पोलीस द्वारा पहली बार पीर हजरत मकदूम शाह को सलामी शिवसेना अब अपने अंतिम पड़ाव पे है..🤔🤔 Posted by हिंदू राष्ट्र on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 This video is being shared on Twitter and Facebook with similar assertions. RSS-affiliated Sunaina Hole shared the clip in a tweet, tagging both the Mumbai police and Uddhav Thackeray. It had received more than 20,000 views at the time of writing. (Archive link) Leaving without comments..@MumbaiPolice under @OfficeofUT Govt 😅 Enjoy the video! pic.twitter.com/whVLtrLFcq — Sunaina Holey (@SunainaHoley) January 8, 2021 Alt News performed a keyword search and found that the video is genuine. However, this is not the first time that the Mumbai police has paid respects to Hazrat Pir Mahim by offering a sacred sheet at the Mahim Dargah. For the past several years, Mumbai police has been offering sheets on the occasion of Urs (Makhdoom Shah Baba’s death anniversary). Another video of police personnel offering sheets at the Dargah was uploaded in December 2020 on YouTube. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Z716VTP1A] In fact, we found videos when the event was held in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2014 to 2019 thus the occasion was held during BJP’s rule as well. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT7-ieBn6lU] On December 14, 2016, Mumbai police also tweeted a few photos of their cops offering a sheet at the Dargah, adding that it was an annual tradition. We have the honour of offering d 1st ‘Chadar’at Mahim Makdhoom Shah annual Urs- A tradition bng followed since years pic.twitter.com/x2LFnTlOUq — Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) December 14, 2016 ABP Majha reported on December 26, 2020, that for the first time in 120 years, there would be no Urs fair at the Mahim Dargah. The occasion would instead be celebrated with a simple ceremony. It also mentioned that the Mumbai police are the first to offer a shrine at the Dargah. The entire police force participates in this ritual. However, in 2020, only a few policemen carryed out this tradition due to COVID-19 restrictions. Therefore, a video of the Mumbai police’s yearly tradition of offering a sacred sheet at the Mahim Dargah was given a false political spin on social media. The event wasn’t held for the ‘first time’ during Shiv Sena’s governance but has also been held during BJP’s rule. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	15th January 2021 / 12:30 pm / Last updated: 15th May 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-shivsena-mumbai-police-paying-homage-mahim-dargah/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,013	Man cutting Kalawas from people's wrists is NOT Samajwadi Party leader - Alt News Kinjal 7th August 2021 / 3:46 pm Recently, a video of a man cutting sacred Hindus threads tied around people’s wrists has been circulating widely on social media. It is being claimed that the individual seen here is Shiv Shankar Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, who is forcing Hindus to never set foot in a temple again. These visuals are being shared against the backdrop of political parties gearing up and preparing for the upcoming assembly polls to be held in Uttar Pradesh. The footage is viral on Facebook and Twitter. Twitter user Uma Shankar Raghav shared the video with the same claim. (Archive link) समाजवादी पार्टी के शिव शंकर यादव ने हिन्दुओं का कलावा काटा और कभी मंदिर ना जाने की कस्म भी दिलाई। ऐसे ही अधर्मी गद्दार लोगों की वजह से मुसलमान कौम सर उठाती है। pic.twitter.com/BTmS9SRJcu — 🚩🇮🇳उमा शंकर राघव 🇮🇳🚩8k (@UmaShankar2054) July 31, 2021 A Facebook group called ‘MODI JI YOGI JI FAN’S’ also shared the video. Screengrabs from the viral clip are also being circulated on Facebook. Alt News performed a keyword search on Facebook, which led us to the original video uploaded on November 30, 2020. The accompanying caption read, ‘Shudra Shivshankar Singh Yadav’ had ‘awakened’ some members of the superstitious Yadav community. The post states further, “…introduced them to their power and knowledge by cutting the kalawa (sacred thread), the symbol of hypocrisy and superstition. Shudra Shivshankar Singh Yadav cutting the thread of mental slavery tied on the hands of Yadav brothers in village Badhra, Nandganj, District Ghazipur.” Alt News reached out to Shivshankar Yadav to get to the bottom of the matter. He revealed that the claim being made on social media is fake. “For the last five years, I have run a mission called ‘Garv se Kaho Hum Shudra Hain‘ (Say you’re a Shudra proudly) on social media under the name Shudra Shivshankar Singh Yadav. I also go by the same name on social media. I am a retired government officer. Because of my ongoing campaign against superstition and hypocrisy, I cut these kalawas from people’s wrists with their permission. In order to fight superstition, I still make people get their kalawas cut.” He added further, “I have no connection to any religious institution or any political party. Contrary to the viral claim, I have nothing to do with the Samajwadi Party. My mission is purely for social upliftment.” Shivshankar Yadav had also lodged a complaint with the police after his video was shared by linking him to a political party. He sent a copy of this complaint letter to Alt News, which reads, “I declare with utmost certainty that neither this mission nor I am affiliated with any political party or religion.” It is noteworthy that the Samajwadi party does have a leader named Shivshankar Yadav. However, he is not the man in the video. Therefore, users falsely identified a man cutting kalawas from people’s wrists as a Samajwadi Party leader who was also forcing them to take an oath to never enter a temple again. In reality, this individual identifies as a nonpartisan social activist whose work involves fighting against religious superstition. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	7th August 2021 / 3:46 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-sp-leader-shivshankar-yadav-asked-hindus-not-to-go-temple-false-claim/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,014	Were degrees of Srinagar medical college students "cancelled" for celebrating Pak's win in T20? - Alt News Kinjal 5th November 2021 / 3:22 pm / Last updated: 5th November 2021 On October 24, Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets in the T-20 World Cup. J&K police filed cases against medical students in Srinagar who allegedly celebrated Pakistan’s win on campus. Social media users are claiming that 100 female students from the medical college had their degrees cancelled. Twitter user ‘Puja Hindu Sanatani Beti’ shared the message alongside a photo of a few burqa-clad women, which amassed over 1,740 retweets as of this writing. (Archive link) मौज कर दी 👏 पाकिस्तान जिंदाबाद का नारा लगाने वाली श्रीनगर मेडिकल कॉलेज की 100 सुंदरियाँ अब डॉक्टर नही बन पाएँगी सरकार ने डिग्री रद्द की ।। pic.twitter.com/mD4lq2mAVc — पूजा 🕉️ हिंदू सनातनी बेटी (@indpuja) October 29, 2021 A video of a News18 broadcast is also being circulated with the same claim, though the visuals do not contain any information on the cancellation of the medical students’ degrees. Some of the news tickers that appear during the show are – “Girls celebrating Pakistan’s victory”, “Girls’ Hostel celebrating India’s defeat” and “Pro-Pakistan sloganeering”. Apart from this, the anchor says that those who raised pro-Pakistan slogans were reportedly charged under UAPA. पाकिस्तान जिंदाबाद का नारा लगाने वाली श्रीनगर मेडिकल कॉलेज की 100 सुंदरियाँ अब डॉक्टर नही बन पाएँगी सरकार ने डिग्री रद्द की …@PMOIndia @narendramodi @ANI @ZeeNews pic.twitter.com/HCmC8k5iZx — हरिओम राजावत विहिप #प्रशासक_समिति (@HariomVhp) October 28, 2021 The claim is widespread on Twitter and Facebook and has also made its way to WhatsApp. Alt News did not find any news reports corroborating this claim. It must also be pointed out that degrees are awarded upon the completion of a course. The claim says that “students” raised slogans celebrating Pakistan’s win. How could their degrees have been cancelled when they’re still in college? A UAPA case was indeed registered against students from two medical colleges in Srinagar for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans following the T-20 match. In addition, the college administration was also charged under this law. According to Jansatta, “As per the information given by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, two separate cases have been filed against students residing in the hostels of Government Medical College and Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Srinagar (SKIMS) Soura, Karna Nagar, Srinagar, along with the college administration, and the hostel warden.” Accompanying photo of women in burqas Alt News performed a reverse image search and found the original photo in a 2017 blog post. A website named India New England News had shared the picture on November 12, 2017 as the Fatima Girls Inter College in Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgarh district. Another portal also posted the image in November 2017 as UP. In sum, social media users falsely claimed that 100 female students from a Kashmiri medical college had their degrees cancelled as they were celebrating Pakistan’s victory in the T-20 match. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media….	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	5th November 2021 / 3:22 pm / Last updated: 5th November 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-srinagar-medical-college-girls-degree-canceled-false-claim/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,015	No, Nandi idol wasn't found under mosque; photo of temple renovation viral - Alt News Kinjal 10th September 2021 / 7:06 pm / Last updated: 7th May 2022 A photo of an idol of the Hindu deity Nandi found buried in the ground has been shared with the claim that it was excavated from underneath a mosque. The image is massively viral on Facebook. The viral text associated with the image is – “हर मस्जिद -मजार की यही कहानी है..नीचे दबी हिंदुत्व की ही निशानी है.” The same image was also viral in 2021. 👉चाहे जहां खुदाई करो , सनातन धर्म के ही सबूत मिलेंगे ,,😏😏 शांतिदूतों का हर धर्म स्थल हिंदू मंदिरों 🚩🚩को तोड़कर ही बनाया गया है ,,,,,✌️💪#जयश्रीराम pic.twitter.com/DZuI1pHeBs — चाँदनी पाठक (Chandni Pathak) (@ChandniPathak19) November 30, 2021 It was shared on Facebook pages “मै कट्टर हिन्दू” and “पुष्पेन्द्र कुलश्रेष्ठ Fans“. One Rajeev Tuli tweeted the image in September 2021 and wrote, “This is the truth of every Islamic tomb or mosque.” The post had garnered over 2,800 retweets at the time of writing. (Archive link) हर मजार मस्जिद की यही सच्चाई है pic.twitter.com/XAP7otMfNy — rajiv tuli (@rajivtuli69) September 5, 2021 It was widespread on Facebook back then as well. We performed a reverse image search and found the original image posted by a Twitter handle named ‘Lost Temples’. The user wrote that a large Nandi idol was discovered during an excavation at Mohanur’s Sellandiamman Temple in the Namakkal district. Namakkal District Mohanur Ariyur Arulmigu Cellandiamman Temple yesterday while extending the compound wall they digged the ground they found a big Nandhi murti Via @findingtemples — Lost Temples™ (@LostTemple7) September 4, 2021 We also discovered that these images were first shared on social media on September 1, 2021, and this post also mentions that the images were taken at a temple in the Namakkal district. Namakkal is located in Tamil Nadu and using this as a hint, Alt News performed a keyword search in Tamil. We found an article dated September 2 on Dinamalar about the renovation of Selandiamman Temple. An old idol of Nandi was found while workers were digging around the temple. The temple officials notified the revenue department and the concerned officials took the idol off their hands. The archaeological department is currently examining the statue currently housed at the Salem Museum. 1,000 ஆண்டு பழமையான நந்தி சிலை கண்டுபிடிப்பு https://t.co/g2qMfJFKh8 pic.twitter.com/5kOHYE7w2d — Dinamalar (@dinamalarweb) September 2, 2021 Tamil news portal Vikatan also published a report about the Nandi idol being discovered while digging was underway around a temple in Namakkal. Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai TV’s broadcast on the temple renovation can be watched below. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUe53ekmfBc] A false claim was therefore promoted on social media that a Nandi idol was found under a mosque when, in fact, the idol was dug out from underneath a temple in Tamil Nadu. This is a recurring piece of misinformation. Photos of Gwalior Fort were shared as Jain Temple discovered upon the demolition of a mosque. Another photo from MP was falsely shared as a Hanuman idol found at the allotted site for a mosque in Ayodhya. An artist’s digital creation was also similarly shared as a temple discovered upon the demolition of a mosque in Karnataka. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media….	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	10th September 2021 / 7:06 pm / Last updated: 7th May 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-statue-of-nandi-came-out-digging-mazar-mosque/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,016	Fact-check: Did Supreme Court change its motto to ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ from ‘Satyamev Jayate’ ? - Alt News Priyanka Jha 23rd August 2020 / 4:16 pm / Last updated: 23rd August 2020 Social media has been abuzz recently with many users claiming that the Supreme Court changed its motto ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’. On August 21, 2020, Sunil Astay of the Bhim Army posted two images in a tweet, writing, “The Supreme Court released a list on August 17, which issued the names of six advocates who had been appointed as judges to the Delhi High Court. But the big news here is that the words inscribed under the Ashoka Pillar have changed.” (archived link to the tweet) सत्यमेव जयते’ की जगह ।। यतो धर्मस्ततो जय: ।। हो गया है। ये देश कहाँ जा रहा है??? सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने 17 अगस्त को एक लिस्ट जारी किया है, जिसमें दिल्ली हाई कोर्ट के लिए 6 जजों के नामों की सूची जारी की गई है। लेकिन यहां बड़ी खबर यह है कि अशोक स्तंभ के नीचे लिखा शब्द बदल गया है। pic.twitter.com/1MKAcx311m — बहुजन शेर सुनिल अस्तेय ‘सत्यमेव जयते’ 🇮🇳 (@SunilAstay) August 21, 2020 Journalist Punya Prasun Bajpai had also tweeted these photos with the same claim, later deleting his post. We managed to take a screenshot of the tweet, which is below. Many people made posts on Facebook stating that “the Supreme Court is more concerned with victory than justice since its motto is no longer ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (the truth alone triumphs), but ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ (where there is dharma, there is victory). Another user had tagged Alt News on Twitter, requesting our team to verify this information. Meanwhile, other users wrote about how everyone should be speaking out about it along with the need for wide reportage on this change. We could not find any sources or literature that pointed to the Supreme Court changing its motto from ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’. We checked the official website of the Supreme Court and did not find any press release that mentioned the change or said that its motto was ‘Satyamev Jayate’ at any point in time. On the home page of the site, ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ appears under the words ‘The Supreme Court of India’. We will now check whether this has been changed recently. We looked up the website of the Supreme Court on Wayback Machine, a webpage archive which keeps automatic records of web pages at different times. If you take a look at the archives of the official Supreme Court website on web.archive.org, you will find a total of 130 snapshots taken in the period between November 12, 2019 and August 18, 2020. On the snapshot taken on November 12, 2019, the phrase ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ can be seen written below the heading, ‘The Supreme Court of India’. Thus, the slogan cannot be a recent change. Now, let’s take a look at what the website of the Supreme Court used to look like. The web address of the top court used to be supremecourtofindia.nic.in earlier. We found around 1,580 snapshots on web.archive.org of this site taken from July 6, 2000 to August 20. 2020. We looked through a number of snapshots on Wayback Machine and found one dated November 10, 2010. On this version, the words ‘Yato Dharastato Jai’ appeared on the page. However, these words were absent in the screenshot taken before November 10, 2010. Therefore, the phrase ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ appeared on the website for the first time somewhere between November 10. 2010 and November 20, 2010. This can be seen in the video below. It is worth noting here that the Supreme Court did not change ‘Satyamev Jayate’ to ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’. We did not see ‘Satyamev Jayate’ written anywhere on the home page of the website in the first place. As a result, the claims being made online about the Supreme Court’s recent change of its motto are false. Punya Prasun Bajpai later issued a regretful tweet, admitting he had been confused and accidentally circulated the information. In reality, the logo of the Supreme Court contains the Ashok Chakra. Below the symbol are the words ‘Yato Dharmastato Jai’ inscribed in Sanskrit. On the other hand, ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is the motto of the Government of India, and is written underneath the Ashok Pillar. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	23rd August 2020 / 4:16 pm / Last updated: 23rd August 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-supreme-court-didnt-changed-its-motto-satyamev-jayate-to-yato-dharmastato-jaya/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
1,017	Fact-check: Did SC overturn Allahabad HC's order on reservation in UP panchayat polls? - Alt News Kinjal 1st April 2021 / 5:50 pm A purported Aaj Tak ‘Breaking News’ graphic plate that reads – “UP gram panchayat election big judgment…Supreme Court orders that the old list will be issued… the new list is cancelled and the list will be issued as per 1995” – has been shared on social media. A second graphic that reads – “UP panchayat election now from May 1…Supreme Court’s decision revoked new reservation list…High Court’s decision reversed and now another list will be issued” – has also been circulated. Facebook user Vijay Nath Upadhyay posted the two graphic plates and wrote, “Today, people from savarna community were going to contest elections but today they will realise the effects of reservation and caste politics.” आज सर्वण समाज के लोग चुनाव लड़ने वाले थे आज उनको आरक्षण और जातिगत नीतियों का समर्थन और पार्टियों के दलाली का एहसास होगा Posted by Vijay Nath Upadhyay on Monday, 22 March 2021 The graphic plates are viral on Facebook. On March 15, PTI reported that the “Allahabad High Court quashed an Uttar Pradesh government order on the reservation of seats for various categories of candidates, including SC, ST, OBC and women, for the upcoming three-tier panchayat elections in the state, issued on the basis of the 1995 population. After quashing the February 11 order, a Lucknow bench of the High Court asked the government to issue a fresh order providing for the reservation on the basis of the 2015 population”. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on March 26 challenging the High Court’s order. The top court rejected the plea and refused to stay the panchayat polls. The viral claims are therefore false. The Supreme Court did not overturn the High Court’s order. It is to be noted that the claim has been doing the rounds since March 22 and the SC gave its order on March 26. Petitioner Dilip Kumar had appealed to the SC to consider reservation of seats for this election by considering 1995 as the base year, reported News18 adding that Kumar said the government had issued a mandate to do the same in February. Live Law stated that the plea had challenged the UP government’s March 17 list issued in compliance with the High Court’s order as a consequence of which, the constituency Ishapur, district Jaunpur of one of the petitioners which was earmarked as unreserved, was reserved for the OBC category. A visual comparison of the viral graphic plate with a genuine Aaj Tak graphic plate aired during a broadcast makes it evident that the former is fake. Furthermore, an Aaj Tak editor also informed Alt News that the graphic plates are morphed since the background has been altered and the template follows an old format. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	1st April 2021 / 5:50 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-supreme-court-rejects-high-court-verdict-on-reservation/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,018	Fact Check: Are terror activities contained in Jammu and Kashmir as claimed by BJP? - Alt News Sam Jawed 19th July 2017 / 8:18 pm / Last updated: 20th July 2017 “Modi government’s ‘free hand’ to the army helping contain terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir” claimed the infographic shared on the day of the terror attack on Amarnath Yatra by Amit Malviya, in-charge of the BJP IT cell. The accompanying graph showed an increasing number of terrorists killed since 2012. The first thought that crosses the mind on seeing this graph is why is it showing a comparison only since 2012. Why not a longer period? Why not the full UPA term? Is there an attempt to ‘window-dress’ the data? Experience with data put out by BJP shows that it probably is, but let us give them the benefit of doubt and check it out. Here is the infographic tweeted by Malviya: 92 terrorists neutralised in last 6 months in Kashmir. This number will go up in the next 24 hours.. pic.twitter.com/V3Ob0Zj54g — Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) July 10, 2017 The same claim was also made in a Times of India article a few days earlier. “As counter-terror forces mount offensive against terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir, the gains are starting to show,” claimed the article. An unnamed source also told Times of India, “the forces have been given a free hand to track and intercept terrorists holed up in the valley, before launching .intelligence-based operations with due mapping of the target and how to neuteralise terrorists with minimum collateral damage.” There is a striking similarity in the argument made here and Malviya’s subsequent tweet and infographic. Times of India shared a detailed infographic, using data only since 2012. Surely the team that put together this infographic had access to the complete ‘satp’ data. The same story was also carried by Times Now and Zee News claiming Indian Army’s counter terror offensive yielding good results. The data shared in the infographic is sourced from ‘satp’ which is the South Asia Terrorism Portal. We decided to check the original source to verify the claim. The data presented in the infographic is accurate but as expected, the years have been carefully selected in favor of BJP. If we take a longer view to include UPA-II as well, the picture changes completely. Terrorist fatalities were much higher in 2009-10 period which has not been shown in the BJP graph. If we cover the UPA-I term as well, the number of terrorists killed peaks in 2005 at 1000 and then declines in line with the decline in total deaths (including civilian and security forces) due to terrorist violence during UPA-II. The deaths in terrorism related violence picks up again in 2016. Number of terrorists killed is only one part of the story. Let us also look at the number of security forces killed during this period. It turns out that the year 2016 had the highest security forces fatalities since UPA-II. 2017 also doesn’t look good as till July 16, already 40 security forces have been killed which is higher than the full year fatalities in some of the previous years. There is not much evidence of the success claimed in the Times of India article due to “seamless coordination between the Army, central forces, state government and intelligence agencies.” The number of civilian casualties in 2017 are also of concern. At 38, the number of civilian deaths till July 16, 2017 has already crossed the full year figures for previous years since 2010. Concerns have been raised about BJP’s handling of the Kashmir situation. It had earlier made claims of demonetization breaking the backbone of terrorism and now after recent attack on Amarnath Yatra, it is presenting incomplete data set to show success in countering terrorism. It is understandable if BJP attempts to project itself in a positive light but it is disturbing to find national media also doing the same. A narrative of “free-hand” to the Army is being built. It is not clear what it means and how it is different from the past. The numbers however do not point to a roaring success that is being claimed in the infographics that have been circulated. Nobody's cheerleader, I tweet at @samjawed65 Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	19th July 2017 / 8:18 pm / Last updated: 20th July 2017	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-terror-activities-contained-jammu-kashmir-claimed-bjp/", "author": "Sam Jawed" }
1,019	Buddha relics from Sri Lanka shared as "stone" from Ashok Vatika where Sita used to sit - Alt News Priyanka Jha 10th November 2021 / 1:40 pm A video is widespread on social media with the claim, “The rock on which Sita Mata used to sit in the Ashok Vatika was flown to Ayodhya today via Sri Lankan Airlines.” अशोक वाटिका में सीता माता जिस शिला पर बैठती थीं, वह शिला श्री लंका एअर लाइन्स द्वारा आज अयोध्या पहुँचा दी गईं। 🚩 जय सीता राम 🚩 Posted by श्याम सुन्दर दीवान on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Twitter user Ashish Jaggi’s post carrying the video garnered more than 3 lakh views. (Archive link) The rock on which Sita Mata used to sit in Ashok Vatika was brought to Ayodhya from Sri Lanka Bolo Jai Siya Ram 🙏🏻🚩 Happy #Diwali pic.twitter.com/CfOQPyQwDk — Ashish Jaggi (@AshishJaggi_1) November 4, 2021 The footage is also circulating on WhatsApp. Alt News received requests on our WhatsApp helpline number (+91 76000 11160) and mobile application. A Twitter user shared a Times of India article while replying to Ashish Jaggi. According to the article, “Sri Lankan flight welcomed at Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar International Airport on Wednesday. Yogi Adityanath received the Buddha relics at the airport. A team of 123 Sri Lankan delegates accompanied the relics.” @AltNews @zoo_bear — !Joey (@Ekbyte) November 5, 2021 Below is the relic highlighted in red. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy had tweeted a few images from the occasion on October 20. Performed a ceremonial worship on the arrival of the Sacred Buddha relic from Sri Lanka on the occasion of Ashwin Poornima Also welcomed Buddhists Monks on their arrival. The exposition of Holy Relic will take place during celebrations of Abhidhamma Day today at Kushinagar, UP. pic.twitter.com/Edzd3dmonW — G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) October 20, 2021 Thus, what is being circulated as a stone from the Ashok Vatika is actually a metal relic of Gautama Buddha. The National Council of Science Museums also shared a photo from the occasion. The highlight of the event is the Exposition of Holy Buddha Relic being brought from Waskaduwa Sri Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the Mahanayaka of the temple. Read: https://t.co/Lf7O75QGNn pic.twitter.com/VnasqlcxJM https://t.co/NNpAv2EpZm — National Council of Science Museums-NCSM (@ncsmgoi) October 20, 2021 It is noteworthy that on October 28, ANI quoted the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra stating that the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the island country-based Sita Mandir, Ashok Vatika to Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda today donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the island country-based Sita Mandir, Ashok Vatika to Ram Temple in Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra pic.twitter.com/mWcZeqnP5B — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 28, 2021 She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	10th November 2021 / 1:40 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-the-rock-on-which-sita-used-to-sit-in-ashok-vatika-bought-to-india-from-srilanka/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
1,020	Video of woman claiming she was tricked into marriage viral with false 'Hindu-Muslim' spin - Alt News Priyanka Jha 19th October 2020 / 4:13 pm / Last updated: 19th October 2020 A video of a woman creating ruckus in an Amul parlour has been shared by several social media users. The woman can be heard saying that her husband tricked her into getting married in an Arya Samaj temple and turned out to be a father of two. People sharing the video are claiming that a Muslim man tricked a Hindu woman into marrying him. “A Muslim youth lied to a Hindu woman and got married to her in an Arya Samaj temple. He was a father of two. Ruckus was bound to happen once the truth came out and now the Hindu woman is cursing her destiny. (झूठ बोलकर दो बच्चों के बाप मुस्लिम युवक ने हिन्दू लड़की से आर्य समाज मंदिर में शादी की! सच्चाई सामने आईं तो हंगामा खड़ा होना ही था हिन्दू लड़की अब अपने तकदीर को कोस रही हैं।)” झूठ बोलकर दो बच्चों के बाप मुस्लिम युवक ने हिन्दू लड़की से आर्य समाज मंदिर में शादी की! सच्चाई सामने आईं तो हंगामा खड़ा होना ही था हिन्दू लड़की अब अपने तकदीर को कोस रही हैं। Posted by Pushpendra Kulshrestha Fans Club on Saturday, 17 October 2020 From the account of Jitendra Kumar Nishad, the video drew 80,000 views. It is massively viral on Facebook. झूठ बोलकर दो बच्चों के बाप मुस्लिम युवक ने हिन्दू लड़की से आर्य समाज मंदिर में शादी की! सच्चाई सामने आईं तो हंगामा खड़ा होना ही था हिन्दू लड़की अब अपने तकदीर को कोस रही हैं! देखिए हाई वोल्टेज ड्रामा!👇👇 Posted by Jitendra Kumar Nishad on Friday, 16 October 2020 Since jewellery brand Tanishq released an advertisement featuring an inter-faith couple, ‘love jihad’ claims are widely circulating online. झूठ बोलकर दो बच्चों के बाप मुस्लिम युवक ने हिन्दू लड़की से आर्य समाज मंदिर में शादी की! सच्चाई सामने आईं तो हंगामा खड़ा होना ही था हिन्दू लड़की अब अपने तकदीर को कोस रही हैं!🔴#लव_जिहाद #LoveJihaad pic.twitter.com/FMwTOk0d0t — fatima فاطم (@Lost_Kashmir) October 17, 2020 We found media reports upon searching with keywords such as ‘Amul parlour’ and ‘Arya Samaj temple’. The incident took place in Bhanvarkuan, Indore. According to a Dainik Bhaskar report from October 14, the woman accused a man named Anand Patil of tricking her into a marriage. She alleged that Anand, who runs a milk parlour, said that he was an orphan. Bhopal Samachar also identified the woman’s husband as Anand Patil. Local news website Swadesh had published a report on the incident. Media outlet MP Breaking News spoke to the woman and uploaded her video statement on October 14. She identified herself as Neha Patil and her husband as Anand Patil in the interview. She informed that Anand’s first marriage took place in 2010 which wasn’t disclosed to her. He married Neha in 2017, telling her that he’s an orphan. महिला ने मचाया हंगामा, पहले से शादीशुदा पति की दुकान में की तोड़फोड़ pic.twitter.com/cejS5WpsGg — MP Breaking News (@mpbreakingnews) October 14, 2020 A video of a woman thrashing her husband’s Amul milk parlour, accusing him of tricking her into a marriage when he was wedded to another woman, is viral on social media. It has been shared with ‘love jihad’ spin despite the couple hailing from the same community. Tanishq’s controversial ad has given a rise to such claims. Videos of a woman assaulted by a man in Jharkhand and a father pleading his daughter to not get into a love marriage were shared with similar ‘love jihad’ spin. She specializes in information verification, examining mis/disinformation, social media monitoring and platform accountability. Her aim is to make the internet a safer place and enable people to become informed social media users. She has been a part of Alt News since 2018. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	19th October 2020 / 4:13 pm / Last updated: 19th October 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-the-video-of-woman-alleging-abandonment-by-husband-is-not-a-hindu-muslim-marriage/", "author": "Priyanka Jha" }
1,021	Fact-check: Were Twitter accounts calling Arshdeep Singh 'Khalistani' all from Pakistan? - Alt News Mohammed Zubair & Abhishek Kumar 7th September 2022 / 5:50 pm / Last updated: 7th September 2022 On September 4, Pakistan defeated India by 5 wickets in the Super 4 Match of the 2022 Asia Cup. At a certain point in the game, Pakistan’s score was 151 with the target for victory being 182. Pakistani cricketer Asif Ali was batting, with India in dire need of a wicket. Indian bowler Ravi Bishnoi was bowling the 18th over. On the third ball of this over, Asif Ali miscued a shot offering a chance at short third man and the fielder, Arshdeep Singh, missed the catch. Following this, social media users started trolling Arshdeep. Several accounts abused him and also called him ‘Khalistani’. Punjab Kings tweeted in support of Arshdeep saying, “We are proud of you Arsh”. Responding to this, right wing influencer @MrSinha_ wrote that Punjab Kings were cheering for those responsible for the defeat of the Indian cricket team and questioned whether Khalistanis were running the handle. He later deleted the tweet (Archived link). It is worth noting that that Prime Minister Narendra Modi follows this account. Apart from this, its list of followers includes many right-wing influencers such as Rahul Roshan, CEO of right-wing propaganda website OpIndia, Vijay Patel, founder of right-wing portal Onlyfact, BJP supporters Ankit Jain and Amit Kumar. In a now deleted tweet, right wing influencer @delhichatter called Arshdeep a ‘traitor’. (Archived link) A user named Vishwas posted a tweet asking how Arshdeep survived Operation Blue Star. (Archived link) A Twitter handle with the display name Shimorekato hurled abuses at Arsheep Singh, calling him a Khalistani and asking him to return to Canada. (Archived link) Amid all the controversy, several celebrities tweeted in support of Arshdeep. Former Indian cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh wrote in a tweet, “Stop criticizing Arshdeep, no player deliberately drops catches. We are proud of our boys, Pakistan played well. Shame on such people who are humiliating Arshdeep and the Indian team by saying cheap things on this platform.” Stop criticising young @arshdeepsinghh No one drop the catch purposely..we are proud of our 🇮🇳 boys .. Pakistan played better.. shame on such people who r putting our own guys down by saying cheap things on this platform bout arsh and team.. Arsh is GOLD🇮🇳 — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 4, 2022 Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted and wrote, “Arshdeep has a strong character. Virat Kohli stated that under pressure anyone can make mistakes, and it was a big match. You learn from them so that the next time the opportunity comes, you can look forward to taking such important catches. Citing government sources, CNN News18 editor Pallavi Ghosh wrote, “The series of tweets trashing Arshdeep Singh are being checked and traced. For now, it looks like fake accounts from Pakistan, this should not be amplified.” (Archived link) Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor, ministry of information and broadcasting, retweeted a thread on how Pakistani handles targeted Arshdeep Singh with a sinister motive and claimed these tweets were being forwarded by Alt News co-founder Mohammad Zubair to sully India’s image. (Archived link) Thread on how Pakistani handles targeted Arshdeep Singh with a sinister motive, and how these tweets were amplified by @zoo_bear to sully India’s image. https://t.co/rUzbbiJwS2 — Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) September 5, 2022 Right wing influencer Anshul Saxena posted screenshots of tweets by Pakistani accounts, claiming that Pakistan was running its Khalistani propaganda and calling Arshdeep Khalistani. At the end of the thread, Anshul added that it was clear that Pakistan’s accounts started targeting Arshdeep Singh by calling him Khalistani. But the sad thing is that some people of India also got caught in the trap and trolled Arshdeep in the same way. (Archived link) 8) Whatever I showed you in this thread is just sample It’s clear that accounts from Pakistan started targeting Arshdeep Singh by calling him Khalistani Sad part is that some people of India also fell into the trap & trolled Arshdeep in the same way This is what Pakistan wants — Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) September 4, 2022 We first searched for the tweets seen in the viral screenshots, and found that some of these were still visible on Twitter. The pattern of the tweets, retweets, and likes of some of these Twitter accounts indicate that they are Indian. After the screenshot went viral, many locked or deactivated their accounts. However, the archived links of the tweets and the handles sharing them are given below. Below are some of the tweets made by the accounts which appear to be run by Indian users. Twitter user Shivam posted a tweet linking Arshdeep to Khalistan after he missed the catch. (Archived link) When we examined Shivam’s Twitter profile, we discovered this was an Indian handle which often tweeted in support of Gems of Bollywood, BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Tajinderpal Singh Bagga, right wing influencer Anshul Saxena and other right wing accounts. It is clear from this that this account belongs to the Indian user. Shivam deactivated his account after the screenshot of the tweet went viral. However, the archived version of Shivam’s profile can be accessed here. Twitter user Clock Tower also labelled Arshdeep a Khalistani when he dropped the catch. (Archived link) When we searched the Twitter profile of Clock Tower, we found that this user had wished the president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Mumbai Tajinder Tiwana on his birthday. Along with this, the user had tweeted about celebrations of a Hindu festival when the Eknath Shinde government was formed in Maharashtra. Replying to Harbhajan Singh’s take on Arshdeep, this user had written that they had a right to criticize him since he was an Indian player. Apart from this, the tweet posted on August 29 about Pakistan’s victory clearly indicates that this is an Indian account. (Archived link) Twitter user Pradeep had abused Arshdeep in a tweet after missing the catch, calling him Khalistani. (Archived link) We examined Pradeep’s Twitter account and found that this user had also written that Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant should not be allowed to play in T20 matches. Apart from this, there are many tweets on this user’s profile in support of Dhoni, Kohli, and the Indian cricket team. On February 5, 2021, this user had talked about using a Jio SIM card while tweeting, which confirms that they are from India. An archived version of Pradeep’s profile is available here. Twitter user Lakshman posted a tweet that read ‘Khalistani’ at 11:05 PM, right after Arshdeep missed the catch. (Archived link) After examining Lakshman’s tweets, we found that he had made several tweets related to Indian politics in the past as well. One of these stated that peace would be established in Kashmir only when members of a single religious community, i.e. the Hindus, would be living there. The archived version of Lakshman’s profile can be found here. Twitter user Rishabh Upadhyay blamed India’s defeat on the Khalistani community. (Archived link) When we checked Rishabh’s Twitter account, we found that this user had retweeted posts made by several right-wing influencers. In fact, the user had earlier posted several tweets similar to the one in question. After Nupur Sharma’s suspension by the BJP, Rishabh tweeted in her support and opposed the BJP in the same tweet. This makes it evident that the handle belongs to an Indian user. The archived version of Rishabh’s profile can be found here. You can find archived versions of many other such accounts here (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). They are listed here in chronological order (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Based on old tweets posted by these handles, it is evident they are Indian handles. Arshdeep dropped the catch around 11:05 PM. Using epoch time on Twitter, we checked the tweets containing the keywords ‘Khalistan’ and ‘Khalistani’ posted between 11:05 PM and 11:10 PM Indian Starndard Time, and we observed a certain pattern. Within this timeframe, most of the accounts who used the word ‘Khalistani‘ seem to be Indian. At the same time, most of the accounts using the word ‘Khalistan‘ appeared to be Pakistani, among them was Pakistani journalist Wajahat Saeed Khan. This tweet was also posted in the same timeframe. After the catch was dropped, Pakistani accounts were mocking Arshdeep by linking him to Khalistan, while Indian accounts were abusing Arshdeep by calling him a ‘Khalistani’ and using other cusswords. We have hyperlinked the archived search results of both the keywords (Khalistan and Khalistani) above. Both archives contain tweets made immediately after the catch. Readers can scroll down after clicking on the archive link to see all the tweets made at that time. Some of the tweets containing the keyword ‘Khalistani’ along with timestamps are given in the collage below, which you can also access by clicking here. This link contains a list of tweets made by Indian and Pakistani accounts linking to Khalistan. The file also contains archived links of the tweets made by Indian accounts. All in all, several right-wing influencers shared only the tweets made by Pakistani accounts, claiming that the tweets criticizing Arshdeep as ‘Khalistani’ after he dropped the catch were part of Pakistani propaganda. When we examined the tweets made immediately after the catch was dropped, Alt News found that these tweets were made by both Indian and Pakistani accounts within the same 11.05PM to 11.10PM (IST) timeframe. Pakistani accounts ridiculed Arshdeep for dropping the catch while Indian accounts wrote abuses along with calling Arshdeep Khalistani. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… After India’s recent victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup on October 23, former… Violent clashes broke out at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE between supporters of… On August 28, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the 2022 Asia Cup. Against… The debate over Aadhaar card refuses to die. With private companies like Reliance using it…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	7th September 2022 / 5:50 pm / Last updated: 7th September 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-those-who-branded-arshdeep-singh-were-exclusively-from-pakistan/", "author": "Mohammed Zubair & Abhishek Kumar" }
1,022	Fact-check: TV9's exclusive report on a 'secret underground tunnel' in Nizamuddin Markaz - Alt News Pooja Chaudhuri & Mohammed Zubair 2nd May 2020 / 12:17 am / Last updated: 2nd May 2020 The novel coronavirus outbreak has cost lakhs of lives worldwide. However, as countries across the globe observe lockdowns to flatten the curve and scientists look for a cure, normalcy doesn’t seem beyond belief. It is bound to return sooner or later. But can the same be said about television news in India? The past few weeks have pushed the national discourse further into bleakness. Television news, hardly in the bounds of journalism, has shaped itself as a counterpart of social media – more inclined to carry propaganda than present facts. On April 18, TV9 Bharatvarsh aired an ‘exclusive’ report on what the channel deemed valuable information for its audience. “Maulana Saad’s secret underground tunnel discovered in Nizamuddin Markaz” was the topic for the day. Maulana Saad is the head of the Nizamuddin Markaz faction of the Tablighi Jamaat. The Delhi police had filed an FIR against the Islamic preacher on March 31 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act for holding a religious congregation in mid-March. TV9 reported that a 200-metre underground tunnel connects the Nizamuddin Markaz complex to Saad’s room. The tunnel gives him access to the entire complex – Lal Mahal, Baglewali masjid and Ghalib road, the channel claimed. Correspondent Manish Jha reported that the tunnel is close to 500 metres from the Nizamuddin police station and could only be accessed by Saad, his sons and close associates. He said that he found out about the tunnel from people close to Saad. During the show, images of the tunnel were flashed which the anchors claimed were shot by TV9, yet the footage carried the words ‘सांकेतिक वीडियो’ meaning ‘representational video’ and the same was also repeated twice during the show. If the footage aired by the channel was representational, all that the viewers really know about this ‘tunnel’ is through an animated map. The broadcast carries no statements from either a member of Tablighi Jamaat, an official of the Nizamuddin Markaz or the police. TV9 used hyperbole to sow seeds of doubt without giving concrete evidence (or any evidence for that matter) on the existence of a tunnel. It said that Saad has transformed from ‘corona master’ to ‘criminal master’. What criminal activities were exactly carried out from this tunnel, the channel doesn’t say. A reverse-image search of one of the representational graphic of the tunnel reveals that it has been picked up from the video game ‘Hills Legend: Action Horror’. The game is available on Google Play Store. [Tip: When you want to reverse-search a photograph with heavy text or image overlap, crop them out as much as possible. In the above case, we cropped the correspondent and reverse-searched the frame on Yandex.] At a later point in the broadcast, TV9 aired another symbolic image of the tunnel. This was found on a Romanian website. The channel does clarify during the show that the graphics used are representational (except at 3:46 when the anchors say that the footage was recorded on channel cameras). The above exercise is only an effort to show that all ‘evidence’ of the tunnel was either picked up from the internet or manufactured. Well…no. TV9 claimed that as soon as one enters the Markaz, a staircase can be spotted on the left and the path on the other side leads to the kitchen. “Just beside the kitchen, a lane goes up to the basement where Maulana Saad’s secret tunnel is placed. This tunnel is 200 metres in length…Maulana Saad’s personal room is located in such a perfect place that he can reach any corner using the tunnel. He can travel through the entire complex of the Markaz – Lal Mahal, Markazi Masjid and Ghalib road.” Where is Maulana Saad’s room? In the animated map above, TV9 placed Saad’s room adjacent to Banglewali Masjid, also known as Nizamuddin Markaz. However, “Saad’s room is inside the Markaz, it is not a separate building,” an official of the Markaz informed Alt News. Perhaps the one aspect that the channel accurately covered in its broadcast is a staircase on the left just after the main entrance of the Markaz building. The staircase leads up to the masjid hall (prayer room) on the first floor. Saad’s room is attached to this hall, and beyond the room is his residence. Both are a part of the Markaz building. The video below shows the location of the room. If one walks across to the other side of the masjid hall, a hoarding of Ghalib Academy (written in Urdu) can be spotted. Notice the elevation of the hall with the hoarding as the vantage point. It is clearly not on the ground level, confirming that Saad’s room is on the first floor. The Markaz official narrates in the video that Saad has direct access to the masjid because of the room which also connects to his residence. In the absence of the room, Saad would have to travel all the way through Ghalib road and Darga road to get to Markaz building. This also raises an interesting question – if the room gives Saad direct access to the Markaz building, why would he need a tunnel? The ‘tunnel’ TV9 claimed that a tunnel runs through the Markaz complex till the Lal Mahal area. Below is a Google map depiction of the area where the tunnel is claimed to be located. As per TV9, the tunnel starts from Bairoon wali building on Darga road, goes beyond the Markaz complex and connect to the Lal Mahal area on Ghalib road. However, this is what TV9 did in its broadcast – the channel declared the ground floor of the Markaz building as an ‘underground tunnel’. Let’s see how. The ground floor is a large space that connects to different parts of the building. It starts from the entrance gates and runs till the extreme end of the building where the kitchen is located. This pathway was declared as the tunnel by TV9. Once you enter the Markaz building via any of the three gates (marked G1, G2 and G3 on the map below), there are three flights of stairs. The one on the left of the pathway takes you up to the mosque on the first floor (same area where Saad’s room is located). Out of the two other staircases, which are on the right of the pathway, one connects to the eating area in the basement and second leads to Bairoon wali building on the first floor. A little further on the left of the pathway, there is a wheelchair ramp that also connects to the mosque. At the extreme end of the pathway are the kitchen and power cabin. Near the kitchen, another flight of stairs goes to the basement. The only underground area is the basement. However, this an enclosed space. It has only two points of entry and exit – one near the kitchen and another near G2. Alt News has corroborated from multiple sources that the basement is used for serving food. There is no direct access from Saad’s room to the basement. He would have to come down to the ground floor to get here. During the broadcast, TV9 also claimed that the tunnel goes up till Lal Mahal area. But there is a physical boundary after the kitchen/ power room. That is the end of the building. There is no way to get to the other side unless you’re Kitty Pryde from the X-Men. In the video below, the Markaz official gives a tour of the ground floor and the basement. To sum it up, TV9 claimed that a tunnel starting from Bairoon wali building connects to Lal Mahal area through the Markaz building. The channel also said that Saad has direct access to this tunnel via his room. Firstly, Bairoon wali building is not separate property. It is situated on the first floor of the Markaz building. Secondly, Saad’s room is also on the first floor on the other side of the building, attached to the mosque. The area which was being projected as a secret underground tunnel is actually the ground floor. The only thing situated underground is the eating area in the basement which isn’t hidden from the public eye. It can be spotted immediately upon entering the Markaz building and has only two entry-exit points – one near the Markaz entry gate and another near the kitchen on the far end of the ground floor. Lastly, it is impossible to travel from the Markaz building to the Lal Mahal area unless one can phase through walls. At several points during the ‘exclusive breaking news’, TV9 showed photographs of what it claimed to be Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz. Below is a screenshot where a hoarding of a cyber cafe – ‘Star Business Centre’ – is visible (marked in green) on the ground floor of a building. As it turns out, this building is the Markaz Masjid in Lucknow’s Aminabad. Here is the Google map location of Star Business Centre. Below is an image of the mosque available on Google maps juxtaposed with a screenshot of the building flashed by TV9. The cyber cafe has been highlighted in green and an air conditioner just beside the hoarding has been highlighted using a blue arrow. We have also compared Nizamuddin Markaz and Lucknow Markaz to show the dissimilarities between the buildings. Both images in the collage below have been taken from Google maps. TV9 therefore aired a flimsy ‘exclusive’ report with no evidence to support the claim that Maulana Saad has been using an ‘underground tunnel’ for years to carry out secret tasks. It is pertinent to note that mainstream media has been shaping public opinion using misleading reports and misinformation since Nizamuddin Markaz was identified as a hotspot. Earlier, Republic Bharat aired a broadcast claiming that a Markaz attendee from Madhya Pradesh hid his travel history from local authorities and subsequently died of Covid-19. The man, however, is alive and did not conceal his visit to Nizamuddin. India TV blamed a maulana for teaching Jamaatis ‘how to spit’ to spread the virus. The channel had picked up a three-year-old video to make the assertion and later took down its broadcast after our fact-check report was published. Kannada channel Public TV published a false report of Muslim youths in Karnataka refusing to get tested for religious reasons. The list is endless. It is one thing for misinformation to circulate on social media but the same does irrepressible damage when promoted by mainstream media. Without showing any evidence of a tunnel inside Nizamuddin Markaz, viewers are informed about the tunnel’s existence only through a ‘representational video’ and photographs of Lucknow Markaz. The channel did not air actual footage of the property as shown in this fact-check report. The area which was referred to as an ‘underground tunnel’ by TV9 is actually the ground floor of the building. Inter-faith relationships between Hindu women and Muslim men have been a sore point for the… Right after Elon Musk took over the reins of microblogging site Twitter, the organization carried… A six-second-long clip of a civilian slapping French President Emmanuel Macron while he is interacting… Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was allegedly shot at during a rally in Wazirabad… In a now-deleted article titled “दीप प्रज्ज्वलन के वैज्ञानिक और आध्यात्मिक पक्ष, जानें ये है…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	2nd May 2020 / 12:17 am / Last updated: 2nd May 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-tv9s-exclusive-report-on-a-secret-underground-tunnel-in-nizamuddin-markaz/", "author": "Pooja Chaudhuri & Mohammed Zubair" }
1,023	Fact-check: Sikh man who brandished sword during farmers' protest brutally thrashed by police? - Alt News Kinjal 3rd February 2021 / 4:53 pm A collage of two pictures is viral on social media. The first photo shows a Sikh man attacking a cop and the second picture is of an injured elderly person. It is being claimed that the person attacking the police was brutally thrashed later on. बाबा जी की कम्बल ठुकाई 🤣🙄😋🤔 क्या से क्या हो गए देखते देखते 😂😂😀 Before After 😀😀 Posted by Vidyasagar Shukla on Thursday, 28 January 2021 The same has also been shared with the following Kannada text – #ಉಪಚಾರದ_ನಂತರ. #ಉಪಚಾರದ_ನಂತರ… Posted by Ramesh Ramesh Tnr on Thursday, 28 January 2021 The collage is widely circulating on both Facebook and Twitter. The first picture was shared on social media after the farmers’ tractor rally held in Delhi on January 26. The pictures depict the violence that ensued during the rally on Republic Day, according to a BBC report that credits the picture to PTI photo journalist Ravi Choudhary. A post shared by Ravi Choudhary (@choudharyravi) We located the second image with the help of Google reverse image search. Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia had tweeted a set of pictures on December 27, 2020, including the viral photo of the injured Sikh man. His tweet said that farmers on their way to participate in the protests at Delhi border met with an accident near Khanna in Punjab. ਬੀਤੀ ਰਾਤ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਡਾਲੇ ਤੋਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ ‘ਕਿਸਾਨ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ’ ‘ਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋਣ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਦੇ ਖੰਨਾ ਨੇੜੇ ਐਕਸੀਡੈਂਟ ਹੋਣ ਦੀ ਖ਼ਬਰ ਮਿਲੀ। ਫੋਨ ‘ਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਹਾਲ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ ਤਾਂ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗਾ ਕਿ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਸਦਕਾ ਸਾਰੇ ਠੀਕ-ਠੀਕ ਹਨ। ਅਰਦਾਸ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ ਜ਼ਖਮੀ ਹੋਏ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਜਲਦ ਸਿਹਤਯਾਬ ਕਰਨ। pic.twitter.com/9bjnzQyej8 — Bikram Majithia (@bsmajithia) December 27, 2020 The incident was also reported by News18 Punjab in a December 28, 2020 report. It said that farmers of Kirti Kisan Union, Wadala were going to participate in the demonstration when they met with a road accident. Kirti Kisan Union too had posted pictures of the accident. ਕਿਰਤੀ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਯੂਨੀਅਨ ਇਕਾਈ ਪਿੰਡ ਵਡਾਲਾ ਤੋਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ ‘ਕਿਸਾਨ ਅੰਦੋਲਨ’ ‘ਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋਣ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਭਰਾਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਟਰੈਕਟਰ ਹੋਇਆ ਖੰਨਾ ਨੇੜੇ… Posted by ਕਿਰਤੀ ਕਿਸਾਨ ਯੂਨੀਅਨ Kirti Kisan Union on Sunday, 27 December 2020 Therefore a picture of a Sikh man brandishing a sword at a cop during farmers’ protest in Delhi was juxtaposed with an image of a man injured in a road accident while on his way to attend the protest. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	3rd February 2021 / 4:53 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-unrelated-image-of-injured-man-shared-with-false-claim-that-police-took-action-tractor-rally/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,024	Digitally created video that shows plane flying under a bridge believed to be genuine - Alt News Kinjal 10th November 2021 / 3:57 pm A video of a plane flying under a bridge was shared by the handle ‘@Jane_Doyle_EJD’ and garnered over 24,000 views. (Archive link) Watch till the end!😮😯😲👇🔊 pic.twitter.com/ZrEFGNKg4Q — 🍄🍂🦔 Jane 🦉🍂🍄 (@Jane_Doyle_EJD) November 4, 2021 The video is quite widespread on Facebook where many people believed the incident to be true. We noticed that the visuals were uploaded on YouTube as the Pina Bridge in Brazil. (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4) We also received a few requests to fact-check the video on the Alt News WhatsApp helpline number. We performed a reverse image search of the video frames, which led us to an article on boatos.org, a fact-checking portal from Brazil. An October 29 Instagram post of the viral video by user ‘Vertice Treinamentos’ has been embedded in the report. According to the outlet, the clip is creative visualisation. A post shared by Vértice Treinamentos (@verticetreinamentos) The user has mentioned in their Instagram bio that they are an engineer. They had also shared another video on October 29, which showed how the video was created. A post shared by Vértice Treinamentos (@verticetreinamentos) ‘verticetreinamentos’ has also shared several such behind-the-scene videos on Facebook too. One of these was for a project that depicted cars flying in the air. To sum it up, a video made with special effects was mistakenly shared on social media as real. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	10th November 2021 / 3:57 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-clip-of-a-plane-passing-under-the-bridge-is-not-real/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,025	Fact-check: Saudi Defence Minister panicking after hearing fireworks at Chinese Embassy? - Alt News Abhishek Kumar 27th August 2022 / 12:48 pm A video of a man in black thwab and a white headgear getting down from a vehicle and greeting another person amidst high security is circulating widely on social media. Further on in the video, the sound of firecrackers can be heard with the security staff immediately escorting the man back into the car and leaving. It has been claimed that the pair seen in white headgear are Saudi Defense Ministers who arrived at the Chinese Embassy to attend Chinese New Year celebrations. Chinese officials had arranged fireworks for their welcome, however, the ministers were unaware of this. As a result, they panicked and the security had to ‘save’ them. Twitter user Anjali Jain also tweeted this video with a similar claim. (Archived link) सऊदिया डिफेंस मिनिस्टर हैं, चीनी नववर्ष के जश्न में शरीक होने #China की एम्बेसी आए थे चीनी अफसरों ने उनके #Welcome को आतिशबाज़ी का इंतज़ाम किया था लेकिन ये मिनिस्टर साहब को नहीं पता था। फिर क्या हुआ आप भी मजे लीजिए।#Viral #viralvideo #TejRan #NFFC #NFTGiveaway #Giveaway #Crypto pic.twitter.com/oiyrjFSdbT — Anjali Jain (@AnjaliJain1999) August 25, 2022 Journalist Vivek Tripathi of ABP Ganga also amplified the visuals and accompanying claim. However, he later deleted the tweet. (Archived link) Twitter user Jaiky Yadav also promoted the video with the same claim. (Archived link) At first glance, this video seems a bit odd. When the sound of the firecrackers is heard, none of the bystanders move at all. Apart from this, even when the military personnel take the pair away, the people standing there do not move. Rather, they continue recording the festivities on their phones without concern. Alt News performed a reverse image search using a frame taken from the video. This led us to an article covering this video on Aos Fatos, a fact-checking website from Brazil. The report refutes the claim made with the video and also contains a tweet dated December 12, 2019, posted by Kuwait’s Al-Hadith news channel. The tweet features a recording of the viral video taken from a different angle. It also states that this is a video of a fake military show by the Amiri guards at the Gulf Defense and AVSON exhibition. معرض الخليج للدفاع والطيران \| عرض عسكري وهمي لهيئة الحرس الأميري pic.twitter.com/fRWuYgN0Dh — الحدث الإخبارية (@AlhadathQ8) December 12, 2019 According to the information available on the Government of Kuwait’s website, a three-day Gulf Arms and Aerospace Exhibition was held on December 10, 2019, in which 31 countries participated. One user also uploaded this video on YouTube on December 12, 2019. It is titled, “Amiri Guard Training at the Fairgrounds. This is how they handle when the character is shot.” It is worth noting that the date of upload of this video on YouTube coincides with the date the exhibition was being held i.e., from December 10 till December 12. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id6qcfWdSUg] We compared the frames of the viral video with images of the Kuwait International Fairground on Google Maps and found that it was indeed shot at the same location. Several other fact-checking portals such as The Observers, Boatos, hoax OR fact, and AFP also debunked the viral video. To sum it up, social media users falsely shared a video of a mock military drill at an exhibition in Kuwait as a video of Saudi Arabia’s defence ministers panicking after hearing fireworks. Abhishek is a senior fact-checking journalist and researcher at Alt News. He has a keen interest in information verification and technology. He is always eager to learn new skills, explore new OSINT tools and techniques. Prior to joining Alt News, he worked in the field of content development and analysis with a major focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	27th August 2022 / 12:48 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-of-2019-kuwait-mock-drill-falsely-shared-as-saudi-defence-minister-getting-spooked-by-firecrackers/", "author": "Abhishek Kumar" }
1,026	Muslims falsely blamed after UP youths accidentally hit themselves with acid bottles on Holi - Alt News Kinjal 1st April 2021 / 3:34 pm / Last updated: 1st April 2021 [Warning: Visuals may be distressing for some.] A video of cream applied on the bodies of two burn victims has been shared on social media with the claim that they were attacked with acid for playing Holi in Dhakrauli village, Khanpur area in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. Radharamn Das, vice-president and spokesperson of Kolkata’s ISKCON temple, wrote that ‘jihadis’ threw acid on the boys. The video was viewed 5,000 times before it was taken down. (Archived link) Journalist Sachin Gupta also tweeted that the boys were hit on their heads with acid bottles in Dhakrauli without assigning blame to Muslims. उप्र के बुलंदशहर में होली जश्न के वक्त दो युवकों के सिर में पानी की जगह तेजाब की बोतल मारी। दोनों युवक गंभीर झुलसे। खानपुर क्षेत्र के ग्राम ढकरौली का मामला। #Bulandshahr #Up pic.twitter.com/6ISZuk55qi — Sachin Gupta \| सचिन गुप्ता (@sachingupta787) March 29, 2021 The video is widespread on Twitter and Facebook. Bulandshahr police issued a statement on Twitter which said that Tinku and Rohit were dancing during Holi celebrations in Dhakrauli village. Tinku wanted to perform a stunt by breaking a glass bottle on his head. But instead of using an alcohol bottle, he picked up one with acid. Tinku was severely injured while Rohit suffered injuries after a few drops fell on him. The police added that the duo is out of danger. pic.twitter.com/PZCQPU07nd — Bulandshahr Police (@bulandshahrpol) March 30, 2021 Alt News spoke with the SHO of Khanpur police station who informed, “These two boys were celebrating Holi. Both of them also got drunk and one of the boys, broke an acid bottle on his head believing it to be a liquor bottle. He was injured and the other boy standing next to him was also wounded. The boys have stated the same in writing.” The SHO further said that the acid bottle was kept to clean toilets and the youth accidentally picked it up. An incident where a boy accidentally injured himself with an acid bottle was communalised on social media. False claims blamed members of the Muslim community for violence during holi. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	1st April 2021 / 3:34 pm / Last updated: 1st April 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-of-injured-boys-in-bulandshahar-holi-shared-with-communal-angle/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,027	Video from MP falsely viral as UP police thrash people offering namaz on the road - Alt News Kinjal 29th October 2021 / 5:51 pm / Last updated: 10th January 2022 A video of police personnel lathi-charging a group of people is viral on social media. It has been claimed that people offering namaz in public in Banaras were beaten by cops. बनारस में रोड पर नमाज पढ़ने का अंजाम देख लो ,क्या ये और किसी के राज में सम्भव है, 😊 धन्यवाद योगी जी का🙏🚩 pic.twitter.com/gxFhe3cKlr — Uttam Chaurasiya – ( भारतीय )🇮🇳🙏 (@INDUttam) January 8, 2022 The video has been shared by multiple users. (1, 2, 3) BJP supporter Renuka Jain had shared the video in October 2021. (Archive link) No namaz on roads. We need more yogi in India pic.twitter.com/rWe4JiCpPd — #RenukaJain (@RenukaJain6) October 25, 2021 In fact, it was widespread in October with the claim that a new law has been introduced in Uttar Pradesh that forbids Muslims from offering Namaz in public.(Archive link) In UP Yogiji has ordered No Namaz on Roads. Still if some were offering, to whom khirapat was given. 😂😂 Posted by Sreekanta Swamy on Saturday, October 23, 2021 Several users had shared the video as Uttar Pradesh on Facebook and Twitter. We received some requests to verify the visuals on the Alt News mobile application and WhatsApp helpline number. A user commented on one of the viral posts that the video is actually from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Alt News performed a keyword search using this information, which led us to an October 19 video report by MP Tak. According to the report, a procession was taken out on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi in Jabalpur. During this, a scuffle broke out between the police and some participants of the procession. Some of them pelted stones, and the police responded by firing tear gas shells and lathi-charging. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpwG3-HltkY] At one point in this video story, we noticed the same shop seen in the viral video. Further, in the viral video, we saw another shop’s board with ‘S Deen Tailors’ written on it. While searching on Google Maps, we found that a shop of this name exists in Gohalpur, Jabalpur. Numerous media outlets have covered the incident. (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4) Navbharat Times reported that the original route of the Eid procession was to be from the Fish Market to Subbah Shah Maida. However, as soon as the crowd reached the market, some of the participants tried to remove the police barricades. Meanwhile, others began pelting stones and throwing firecrackers at the police. In response, the police also lathi-charged those gathered there. Several police officers were injured in the violence. There was another incident of violence near Jabalpur’s Raddi Chowki the same day. Next, we performed a keyword search to verify the claim about a supposed restriction on offering prayers on the streets. In August 2019, the Uttar Pradesh police had banned religious activities like namaz or aarti on the streets. This restriction was imposed in the interest of curbing road traffic. To sum it up, a video of police lathi-charging locals during a row that broke out during an Eid procession in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh was falsely shared with the claim that the UP police beat Muslims offering namaz on the road. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	29th October 2021 / 5:51 pm / Last updated: 10th January 2022	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-of-jabalpur-mp-shared-as-up-police-beating-people-who-offering-namaz-on-road/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,028	Fact-check: Were Mysore cops beaten for fining people for not wearing masks? - Alt News Kinjal 27th March 2021 / 8:51 pm India is witnessing a steep rise in coronavirus cases and the government has instructed citizens to follow COVID norms. A video has been shared against the backdrop of guidelines reinstated in several places. The video shows a mob thrashing a policeman and accompanying Gujarati messages allege that cops were attacked for collecting money from those not wearing masks in public. A mob of angry locals attacked police officers in Mysore, Karnataka, says the claim. Facebook user Juned Qureshi posted the video gathering over 56,000 views at the time of writing. Another video is being shared with the same message. A third video, viral on Facebook, has also been shared with an identical suggestion. સુરુવાત્ થઈ ગઈ મેસુર્ કર્ણાટક થી. પાબ્લિક્ કંટારી ગઈ .માસ્ક ના નામે પૈસા ભરીને.. પોલીસ ની ધુલાઇ સરુ જમ્કર્👉🏾 Posted by Arbaz Mirza on Thursday, March 25, 2021 The clips are also being shared as people protesting the lockdown in Maharashtra. It is to be noted that all three videos depict the same incident. According to The News Minute, a bike driver was killed in a road accident that occurred near the Mysore Ring Road check post on March 22. The crowd gathered there said that the police were responsible for the incident. Bike driver Devraj and pillion rider Suresh were trying to escape the police when the bike slipped and collided with a lorry coming from behind. Devraj died on the spot. A mob of angry passers-by beat up the police mercilessly. Following this, the police registered a case under Section 304A against the lorry driver. At the same time, two cops and the lorry driver, who was also injured in the skirmish, also filed complaints. First video A video report by Maha News dated March 23 covered the accident in Karnataka. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uFNAkndPQ0] Scenes from the first viral video appear after the 0:27 mark in the broadcast. Second video Visuals from the second video can be seen in an article by The News Minute. Journalist Revathi Rajeevan had tweeted the second video and said that in an effort to escape from the police, a biker hurriedly tried to take a U-turn and fell off the vehicle. The lorry coming from behind ran over him and the biker died on the spot. An angry mob beat up traffic police officers, blaming them for the accident. The patrolling vehicle was also damaged during the altercation. This happened in Mysuru today. Locals gathered to assault a traffic cop and another patrol vehicle driver. A bike rider took a u-turn to avoid police checking ahead, fell, was ran over by a lorry. Died on spot. Angry locals assaulted two cops and damaged patrol vehicle@CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/DmVEMxqcAW — Revathi Rajeevan (@RevathiRajeevan) March 22, 2021 Third video The scenes from the third viral clip can be seen in an ‘Ee Sanje News’ video story. The picture below compares stills from both videos that have been shot from different camera angles. One can see the front of the police car in the screenshot on the right while the vehicle’s rear can be spotted in the screenshot on the left. Journalist Karthik Nayaka of The New Indian Express tweeted that the Vijaynagar police detained eight people on charges of attacking cops. The pillion rider on the bike issued a statement saying that the policemen had no involvement in the accident. 8 persons have been detained so far by Vijaynagar police officers on charges of assaulting cops and damaging police vehicle. The injured pillion rider in the accident has given a video statement clarifying that there was no role of police. pic.twitter.com/sBr9v477bQ — Karthik Nayaka (@Karthiknayaka) March 23, 2021 Thus, police officers were attacked by an angry mob following the death of a young man in a road accident in Mysore. A video of the altercation was shared with the false claim that angry locals were beating cops who fined them for not wearing masks. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	27th March 2021 / 8:51 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-of-mob-in-mysuru-attacks-traffic-cop-shared-with-false-claim/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,029	Video of UP cops consuming alcohol on car bonnet was shot before CM Yogi took office - Alt News Kinjal 14th July 2021 / 4:21 pm / Last updated: 14th July 2021 A video is viral on Twitter and Facebook where two policemen can be seen drinking alcohol while sitting on the bonnet of a police car. It has been claimed that these are Uttar Pradesh cops and chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been criticised in viral messages. Facebook page ‘Chacha Baklol’ wrote, “In Yogi’s government, the people of UP are more afraid of khaki uniforms than goons. Look at the police, they are drinking alcohol openly in broad daylight, this is the duty of these policemen. Uttar Pradesh Jungle Raj Jai Hind Bharat Mata Ki Jai…..” The post drew over 45,000 views. योगी सरकार मैं यूपी की जनता गुंडों से नहीं खाकी वर्दी वालों से ज्यादा डर रही है 100 नंबर पुलिस को देखो शराब दिनदहाड़े खुलेआम पी रहे हैं ये है इन पुलिस वालों की ड्यूटी उत्तर प्रदेश जंगलराज जय हिंद भारत माता की जय…..😂😁 Posted by Chacha Baklol on Wednesday, 7 July 2021 Facebook page ‘5K BROADCASTING’ also posted the video. The video was shared in 2019 with the same claim. Follow page 🇮🇳🙏 योगी सरकार मैं यूपी की जनता गुंडों से नहीं खाकी वर्दी वालों से ज्यादा डर रही है 100 नंबर पुलिस को देखो शराब दिनदहाड़े खुलेआम पी रहे हैं ये है इन पुलिस वालों की ड्यूटी उत्तर प्रदेश जंगलराज जय हिंद जय भारत Posted by अपना गाँव शहर on Sunday, 8 September 2019 Alt News found a report in The Financial Express dated March 15, 2017. This report includes a screenshot of the viral video. It states the Bahujan Samaj Party had targeted the UP police by tweeting a video of two drunk policemen and terming the state ‘Gunda Raj’. Dial 100 UP Police drink liquor at open highway in Shamli. #GundaRajContinues #BSP #EVMtampering pic.twitter.com/13TYUGqrUM — Bahujan4India (@Bahujan4India) March 14, 2017 This video was tweeted by Bahujan Samaj Party on March 14, 2017 at 10.31 pm. One India Hindi reported that the video was shot on the day of Holi. If one notices carefully, the policeman on the right is covered with light pink colour. He can also be heard saying in the video, “We are policemen. We will perform our duties and also celebrate the festival.” Holi was observed on March 12-13 in 2017. It is also noteworthy that the bonnet of the vehicle has ‘UP’ written in red colour in Hindi which confirms the video shows UP policemen. Photos of the UP police vehicle featured in the vehicle can be found with a simple Google search. It is noteworthy that Yogi Adityanath had assumed the office of the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on March 19, 2017 and the video was shot before this date. Therefore, the clip was not taken during his tenure. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	14th July 2021 / 4:21 pm / Last updated: 14th July 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-of-two-cops-drinking-liquor-on-duty-is-not-from-yogis-regime/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,030	No, 'miracle' rain did not pour only on Tamil Nadu's Nataraja Temple - Alt News Kinjal 24th November 2020 / 1:54 pm / Last updated: 24th November 2020 A video has been shared as a “miracle” depicting rain falling only on Nataraja Temple in Tamil Nadu while surrounding areas remain dry. The tweet by @LostTemple7 drew over 1 lakh views and 13,000 likes. Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram Hindu temple in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu 💓🌺 — Lost Temples™ (@LostTemple7) November 22, 2020 The video was also shared by Twitter handle @BharatTemples_. Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, TamilNadu Observe, Rain shower only on Lord Nataraja pic.twitter.com/IFCLLsOzu3 — Bharat Temples (@BharatTemples_) November 19, 2020 It has also been shared on Facebook and promoted by the website Tamil Thisai. In the video, it seems as if it’s pouring only on the statue of Hindu deity Nataraja because the temple is lighted. As one may have frequently observed, raindrops are visible under street lights when it’s dark outside. This is, in fact, a common method used to confirm whether it’s raining or not when the downpour is not heavy. Apart from this, the sound of rain can also be heard the clip. The raindrops are better visible when the video is slowed down. We also found a video uploaded on November 19, 2020, about the same incident — rain at Thillai Nataraja temple of Chidambaram. After 1:45 minutes in the video, the rain can also be seen pouring on the temple courtyard. The courtyard is completely wet and the sound of falling water can also be heard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWfTVNV65sg Facebook page ‘Thiruvallur News’ also posted a video of rain pouring on the temple’s courtyard to debunk viral claims that the rainfall was concentrated on Nataraja’s statue. Nataraja temple raining fake news \| Real or Fake? \| நடராஜர் சிலைக்கு மட்டும் மழை பெய்தது உண்மையா ? Nataraja temple raining fake news \| Chidambaram temple raining fake rainfake \| fakerain நடராஜர் சிற்பத்திற்கு மட்டும் மழை பெய்யும் அதிசய நிகழ்வு!!! சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் ஆலயத்தில் கிழக்கு கோபுர வாசல் முன்னாடி உள்ள சிவபெருமானுக்கு மட்டும் வானத்திலிருந்து பூ மழை தூவும் காட்சி கண்கொள்ளாக் காட்சி கண்டு களியுங்கள் தில்லை நடராஜர் ஆலயத்தில் நடராஜர் திருமேனிக்கு மட்டும் மழை பொழிந்த அதிசய காட்சி \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் திருமேனியில் மட்டும் மழை பெய்யும் அதிசியம் \| சிதம்பரம் கீழவீதி முகப்பில் இருக்கும் நடராஜ திருமேனிக்கு மட்டும் மழை பொழியும் அதிசயம் \| சிதம்பரம் \| நடராஜர் \| மழை பெய்யும் அதிசியம் \| koil \| temple \| miracle \| kovil \| கோவில் \| கோயில் \| sivan \| shivan \| ஈசன் \| chidambaram \| natarajar \| சிவன் \| chidambaram temple \| chidambaram natarajar temple \| சிதம்பர ரகசியம் \| சிதம்பரம் கோவில் \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயில் வரலாறு \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயில் \| சிதம்பரம் கோவில் வரலாறு \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் அபிஷேகம் \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் பாடல் \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் ஆருத்ரா தரிசனம் \| தில்லை நடராஜர் \| தில்லை நடராஜர் கோயில் \| தில்லை நடராஜர் பாடல் \| thillai nataraja \| thillai natarajar \| #சிதம்பரம் #நடராஜர் #சிவன் #natarajar #chidambaram \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயிலில் அதிசய நிகழ்வு – சுவாமி சிலையில் மழை பெய்யும் காட்சி \| Chidambaram \| Chidambaram Natrajar Temple Rain \| Chidambaram Natrajar Temple \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோவில் \| நடராஜர் கோவில் \| நடராஜர் கோயில் \| தில்லை நடராஜர் \| தில்லை நடராஜர் கோவில் \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் சிலை மீது மட்டும் மழை பெய்வது போன்ற வீடியோ \| சிதம்பரம் நடராஜர் கோயிலில் அதிசய நிகழ்வு – சுவாமி சிலையில் மழை பெய்யும் காட்சி \| Chidambaram \| நடராஜர் சிற்பத்திற்கு மட்டும் மழை பெய்யும் அதிசய நிகழ்வு!!! Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Rain \| Rain on Natarajar \| Viral Video \| Explained \| Tamil Chidambaram Temple Rain \| Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Rain \| Latest Trending Viral Whatsapp Status Video Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Rain \| Rain on Natarajar \| Viral Video \| Vijay Spot \| Mystery behind?? Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Rain \| Rain on Natarajar \| Viral Video \| Explained \| Tamil Chidambaram Natarajar kovil Rain Video True or fake? Natarajar Viral Video, Chidambaram temple Viral Video Related Searches : nataraja temple,chidambaram natarajar temple,chidambaram nataraja temple,nataraja temple raining,nataraja temple chidambaram rain,natarajar,natarajar temple rain,chidambaram temple,temple,natarajar temple,nataraja,thillai nataraja temple,natarajar temple secret,rain on natarajar,rain on nataraja,nataraja temple viral video,natarajar chithambaram temple rain viral video,#natarahar temple rain,temples,thillai natarajar,nataraja raining,chidambaram (city/town/village) thillai nataraja temple Chidambaram Natarajar Temple Rain \| Rain on Natarajar \| Viral Video \| Explained \| Tamil#chidambaramtemplerain #chidambaramrain #chidambaramnatarajatemplerainvideos #chidambaramtemplerainvideo #latestviralvideo #latesttrendingvideo #templerainwhatsappvideo #chidambaramtemplerainviralvideo #chidambaramtempleraintrendingvideo #chidambararagasiyam #chidambaramtemplewhatsappstatus #chidambaramtemperain #chidambaramkovilrainvideo #chidambaramkovilmazhaivideo #chidambaramnatarajarkovilrainvideo #chidambaramkovilmalaivideo #chidambaramkovilrainpolimernews #chidambaramkovilthanthitvnews #chidambaramkovilraintamilnewsvideo #chidambaramtemplerainoriginalvideo #chidambaramkovilathisayam #chidambaramkovilathisayammazhaivideo #chidambaramtemplerainmiraclevideo #chidambaram #chidambaramtemple #chidambaramtemplevideo #தில்லையில் கீழவீதி முகப்பில் இருக்கும் நடராசர் திருமேனிக்கு மட்டும் மழை பொழிந்து #Chidambaram nataraja temple #rain #natarajan temple #today news #Nataraja #Natarajatemple #raining #Chidambaramtemple #ChidambaramNatarajatemple #Chidambaram #ullagamsutralamvaanga #fake #fakenews #Natarajatemplerainingfakenews #Chidambaramtemplerainingfake #fakerain #rainfake You can reach me using the below options https://www.instagram.com/siyamdran/ Tweets by siyamdran https://www.facebook.com/Siyamsundar-… MAIL ID – [email protected] CONTACT – +91 88 83 83 13 23 Other videos in Tamil From Siyamsundar https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDcuz75OrPbZ0xR58fLNrQQ Posted by Thiruvallur News on Thursday, 19 November 2020 Raindrops visible only under lights in the dark is a common phenomenon. The video portrayed as a “miracle” unsurprisingly has a logical explanation. While the camera might have tricked the eye, common sense should suggest that the rain could not have poured only on the statue. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	24th November 2020 / 1:54 pm / Last updated: 24th November 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-video-viral-with-false-claim-that-miracle-rain-shower-only-on-nataraj-idol-in-tamilnadu/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,031	Fact-check: Videos of unrelated pest attacks linked with Asian giant hornet spotted in US - Alt News Kinjal 12th June 2020 / 4:02 pm / Last updated: 12th June 2020 Since the past few days, there have been reports of black and orange hornets spotted in America. These are the Asian giant hornets, also known as ‘Murder Hornet’. Following the news, some videos were shared on social media. The first video shows a worm attacking a rat/ mouse. In the second video, people can be seen running haywire, trying to get away from insects. Apart from this, a video of a broadcast of Zee Media’s English news channel WION is also being shared. On May 14, Facebook page ‘Super Videos and Jokes’ shared these videos claiming, “A new type of fly in America has destroyed life… People are upset. Troubles add on. (America Me Nayi Kisam ki Makkhi Ne Jeena Haraam Kar Diya Hai…Log Pareshan Hai.? Mushibat pe Mushibat..)” (archive) America Me Nayi Kisam ki Makkhi Ne Jeena Haraam Kar Diya Hai… Log Pareshan Hai.? Mushibat pe Mushibat.. 😳😳 Posted by Super Videos and Jokes on Thursday, 14 May 2020 On May 10, the video of people running helter-skelter was posted by another Facebook page ‘نهفات وابداعات’ stating that it is from India. As of this writing, the video was viewed 1,100 times (archive) These videos have been widely circulated on Twitter and Facebook. They are also being forwarded on WhatsApp as “hornet attack in America”. Alt News has received several fact-check requests on its mobile application. According to a May 4, 2020, article in National Geographic, scientists are concerned that these ‘Murder Hornets’ can spread throughout Washington and pose a threat to American bees as well as humans. The ‘Murder Hornet’ comes from Japan and East Asia. The group of hornets consists of a queen and a number of worker flies. They can travel more than half a dozen miles in search of food. Hornets like to eat many kinds of insects but specifically enjoy feasting on bees. These insects are nearly two inches in length, the world’s largest wasps. They can decimate beehives in minutes. Researchers say that if the Asian hornet bites a person about 50 times or fewer, the person can die of kidney damage. Every year in Japan, 30 to 50 people die from the sting of these hornets. In 2013, when populations of the hornets were unusually high, they killed 42 people in a single Chinese province. “As of now, researchers can’t confirm how the hornets arrived. Looney says it’s most likely they got accidentally trapped in shipping containers from one of the countries where they’re native,” reads the article. Chris Looney is an entomologist at the Washington State Department of Agriculture. At the end of 2019, a whole hive of hornets was found in Nanaimo, Canada, and destroyed. Looney says if the hornets are not stopped in the next few years, it will be very difficult to curb their growth. In this report, we will fact-check all the three videos one by one. Video 1: Mouse and insect Searching on YouTube with the keywords ‘mouse and wasp’, we found the same video uploaded on July 14, 2018. The channel did not give details about the video. But it is not linked with recent sighting of hornets in America since it has existed at least since in 2018. Video 2: People running helter-skelter After breaking the viral video into several frames using InVid and reverse-searching one of the frames, we found a fact check article by media organization AFP published on June 2, 2020. The report says that the video of people fleeing everywhere was posted by a Facebook user on April 4, 2020. (archive version of the post) Commenting on the Facebook post, a user claimed that the video was shot at a shopping centre in Managua, Nicaragua. AFP found a post from Managua’s Central Z-1 fire department, which is 2.5 km from the shopping centre. The post talks about an attack by insects outside the shopping centre on April 4, 2020. Atendimos llamado. Sobre un Enjambre de Abejas Africanizadas que Afectaban a la población en las cercanías de Metrocentro.. 🚒🇳🇮1️⃣1️⃣5️⃣☎️👩‍🚒 Posted by Delegación central Z-1 Escuadra A on Saturday, 4 April 2020 The post states in Spanish that the fire department received a call claiming that African bees have attacked outside the metro centre. A spokesperson of the department informed AFP that these videos and photos were shot on the same day (April 4). He also stated that no such incident has taken place in the metro centre since the last few days. Therefore, a video of an attack by African bees in April was linked with Asian giant hornets spotted in the US. Video 3: WION News The broadcast by WION News talks about ‘Murder Hornets’ sighted in the US. It doesn’t mention that the pests have attacked humans. In fact, there are no reports of large-scale attacks. An article in CNN says, “For the first time, Asian giant hornets have been spotted in the United States, specifically in Washington state, scientists say. Beekeepers have reported piles of dead bees with their heads ripped off, an alarming sight in a country with a rapidly declining bee population.” It further adds, “The giant hornet was first spotted in the state in December, and scientists believe it started becoming active again last month when queens emerge from hibernation to build nests and form colonies.” Therefore, unrelated visuals were shared online after news of the Asain giant hornet sighted in the US came to light. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Following Saudi Arabia’s 2-1 win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, speculation about… Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the… A 1:34-minute-long CCTV camera clip is being widely circulated on social media in which viewers… The teaser of a movie titled ‘The Kerala Story’ is being widely shared on social…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	12th June 2020 / 4:02 pm / Last updated: 12th June 2020	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-videos-of-unrelated-pest-attacks-linked-with-asian-giant-hornet-spotted-in-us/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,032	Photo of El Salvador women's basketball team with US team shared as India - Alt News Kinjal 10th July 2021 / 1:27 pm A photo showing women basketball players of different heights donning red and blue jerseys standing in rows of two is gathering a lot of traction on social media. The group in the blue jerseys is much shorter than the ones sporting the red jerseys. Some portions of the blue jerseys have been blurred out while the red jersey reads ‘USA’. Users are sharing the image and claiming that these players are from the Under-16 division representing the United States and India. Facebook page ‘Aly memes‘ posted the picture with the same claim. Another Facebook user also posted the image with the accompanying claim. The image is widespread on Facebook. Through a simple reverse image search, Alt News located the original photo in a Sports Ration article dated June 19, 2019. Here, ‘El Salvador’ is printed on the blue jerseys. El Salvador is a country in Central America. The report states that a basketball match was held between the United States and El Salvador, which the former won with a score of 114-19. The image carried by this outlet shows El Salvador written in the front of the blue jerseys, which has been blurred out in the viral photo. A website named El Salvador Day also shared this picture while reporting on the match. Sports website AS USA tweeted this picture on June 18, 2019. Tranquilas, ellas también tienen 16 años como ustedes… 🇺🇸 USA 1⃣1⃣4⃣ – 1⃣9⃣ El Salvador 🇸🇻 pic.twitter.com/G9zj81kw42 — AS USA (@US_diarioas) June 18, 2019 To sum it up, a picture of the Under-16 womens’ basketball teams of the United States and El Salvador was falsely shared as the USA and India. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	10th July 2021 / 1:27 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-viral-image-doesnt-show-height-difference-between-usa-and-india-under-16-basketball-team/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,033	No, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are not with Navneet Kalra in these photos - Alt News Kinjal 11th May 2021 / 2:14 pm The second wave of COVID-19 has ripped through India, setting off a shortage of life-saving medicines, oxygen, and hospital beds. Amidst the shortage are reports of people selling oxygen cylinders in the black market in the national capital. The Delhi police recently recovered more than 500 oxygen concentrators during a raid at Khan Chacha restaurant. A picture of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, purportedly with Khan Chacha owner Navneet Kalra, has now gone viral. “Your jaw will drop when you think about how deep-seated and far-reaching this oxygen shortage conspiracy goes. 524 oxygen concentrators were recovered from three restaurants owned by Khan Market’s Navneet Kalra, the same man seen in both photos,” reads the caption in Hindi. Twitter handle @humlogindia shared the picture with the same caption. (Archive link) आक्सीजन की कमी का षड्यंत्र कितना गहरा और कितने ऊंचे स्तर पर रचा जा रहा है ये सोचकर ही आपके दिमाग की बत्ती हिल जाएगी। दोनो फोटो में दिख रहा खान मार्किट के इसी नवनीत कालरा की 3 रेस्टोरेंट से 524 ऑक्सिजन कन्संट्रेटर बरामद हुआ है। pic.twitter.com/omnkCxyTZh — हम लोग We The People (@humlogindia) May 7, 2021 One Priyesh Dubey posted this picture on the Facebook group ‘Republic Bharat. – राष्ट्र के नाम’ with the accompanying claim. (archive link) The image is circulating widely across Twitter and Facebook. A side-by-side comparison of the man in Sonia and Rahul Gandhi’s company with a photograph of Navneet Kalra shows distinct facial features. Kalra had posted the pictures on Facebook on January 28, 2019. He identified the location as Town Hall and the man as Augusto Cabrera. It is also noteworthy that he reshared this post in 2019. It was originally uploaded four years earlier on January 23, 2015. ‘Augusto’ is also embroidered on the clothing of the individual seen with the Gandhis. Augusto Cabrera is from The Philippines. He is a celebrity chef based out of Delhi and specialises in Japanese cuisine. He used to work at The Oberoi Hotel’s Threesixty restaurant and is currently employed at Town Hall, a Japanese restaurant in Khan Market. It is also worth mentioning that Navneet Kalra’s Instagram account has pictures of him with several Bollywood celebrities, cricketers and political leaders. He had shared a photo with BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Cabrera’s Instagram account also features photos of himself with well-known public figures. Chef Augusto’s photographs with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were shared with the false claim that he is Khan Chacha’s owner Navneet Kalra who was involved in the black marketing of oxygen concentrators. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	11th May 2021 / 2:14 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-viral-image-doesnt-show-rahul-gandhi-with-khan-market-restaurants-owner-navneet-kalra/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,034	False message claims Aamir Khan's daughter eloped with Hindu domestic help - Alt News Kinjal 27th February 2021 / 3:29 pm A photo of Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira with a man has been shared with the claim that she eloped with her domestic help who hails from the Hindu community. Twitter user Sadhvi Mishra’s tweet promoting the claim was liked by 1,700 handles and garnered 557 retweets. (Archive link) अमीर खान जो हिन्दुओं को नीचा दिखाने हिन्दु नौकर रखा था उसकी बेटी इरा खान अपने हिन्दु नौकर को लेके फरार ..!! 😂 pic.twitter.com/QodPYfu7ZJ — साध्वी मिश्रा🙏🇮🇳 (@sadhvi00_6) February 24, 2021 Another Twitter user @Chintu_is_back also shared this picture with the same claim. (Archive link) हिंदुओं को नीचा दिखाने के लिए आमिर खान ने हिन्दू नौकर रखा था 😊 इसी नौकर को लेकर उसकी बेटी इरा ख़ान फरार हो गई 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/t2XJSeRYtK — चिन्टू पाण्डे (@Chintu_is_Back) February 25, 2021 The image and accompanying claim have gone viral on Facebook and Twitter. Alt News performed a reverse image search and found the photo in a Pinkvilla article dated November 26, 2020. It states that Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira is in a relationship with her fitness coach. The man posing in the photo with her has been identified as Nupur Shikhare, founder of ‘Fitnessism’. The two are reportedly dating. Shikhare shared the image on his Instagram profile on November 17, 2020. The post mentions that it was taken during Diwali. A post shared by Popeye ⚓ (@nupur_shikhare) We found that Ira Khan has also shared several pictures with Shikhare. A post shared by Ira Khan (@khan.ira) A photo of Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira with her fitness coach Nupur Shikhare, whom she is dating, has been shared with the false claim that she has eloped with her domestic help. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The CCTV footage of a man violently flinging a child on the ground has created… A minute-long video clip of a woman being physically assaulted is viral on social media…. Trigger Warning: The following story contains graphic imagery. Several users have shared images of the… The brutal murder of Shraddha Walker has been widely covered across news media over the…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	27th February 2021 / 3:29 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-viral-image-false-claim-amir-khans-daughter-ira-khan-elope-with-hindu-servant/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,035	Fake graphic plates claim Calcutta HC has ordered Mamata Banerjee to resign - Alt News Kinjal 14th May 2021 / 5:40 pm / Last updated: 14th May 2021 A video of a broadcast from a news channel is gathering a lot of traction on social media. It features a string of breaking news graphics that read, “Bengal HC calls for Mamata Banerjee’s resignation!”, “Four-member Home Ministry team reaches West Bengal, action on Mamta imminent”, “Shah angered by the murder of BJP personnel”, “Four-member Ministry of Home Affairs team arrives in West Bengal”, “Shah takes action, President’s rule to take effect in West Bengal”, “Mamata’s viral video incited violence”. These graphics have been shared against the backdrop of 17 deaths across political parties during post-poll violence in the state. Supporters of the BJP have been demanding resignation from Mamata Banerjee and making social media posts favouring the President’s rule in the state. In fact, an NGO named India Collective had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to impose the President’s rule though no such order has yet been passed. Twitter user @khaitan48 posted the viral clip and wrote, “Breaking news! Kolkata HC said, ‘If the state government is unable to control the state, the CM should resign immediately.’ The land of the great son of Bengal Subhash Chandra Bose has been bloodied by this female jihadi. Now the time has come to put this witch behind bars!” It racked up 1,700 views and 369 retweets at the time of writing. (Archive link) ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़…..!! कोलकाता HC ने कहा! “अगर राज्य सरकार से नहीं संभल रहा राज्य तो CM तुरंत दें इस्तीफा” बंगाल के महान सपूत सुभाषचन्द्र बोस की भूमि को “जेहादन” ने बहुत रक्तरंजित कर दिया अब वक्त आ गया हैं “डायन” को जेल में ठूंसने का! pic.twitter.com/PU5nP6XdPT — N K khaitan (@khaitan48) May 8, 2021 Another Twitter user shared the visuals with the same claim. (Archive link) ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़….कोलकाता HC ने कहा “अगर राज्य सरकार से नहीं संभल रहा राज्य तो CM तुरंत दें इस्तीफा” pic.twitter.com/vAoxQnP0Lf — पिंकी सिंह #3ह🚩🕉️🚩🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@PinkySi67436470) May 8, 2021 While the video has gone viral on Twitter, the stills have also made their way to Facebook. At the beginning of the video, the word ‘“इस्तीफ़ा” (resignation) is misspelt as “स्तीफा”. Several such errors appear in the other graphics as well, which is unusual for a news organisation. Alt News did not stumble upon any media reports corroborating the viral claim that the Calcutta HC has ordered Mamata Banerjee to step down as the Chief Minister. We then performed a keyword search, which led us to the original clip uploaded on May 7, 2021, by the YouTube channel CSK News. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZn7LiLLjDY] This channel was created on June 29, 2019, and has uploaded several videos peddling disinformation. On May 6, the channel had uploaded a clip about President’s rule imposed in West Bengal even as no such order has been passed. The viral clip also keeps reiterating that BJP workers were murdered in the violence. But among the 17 people killed were workers from across political parties – BJP, TMC, CPI(M) and ISF. While opposition parties have blamed TMC for the attacks, which has also been criticised by journalists and civil society, TMC has claimed that it did not have any role to play and has, in turn, raised allegations on BJP. On May 7, the Calcutta High Court asked Mamata Banerjee to file an affidavit within three days on the current condition of the state following the clashes. A five-member bench of the court sought a report detailing the areas that had witnessed clashes and the measures taken to curb them. In a second hearing on this matter on May 10, the court appreciated the steps taken by the state government to bring a stop to the violence. At the same time, the high court dismissed the centre’s plea for the formation of an SIT to look into the matter. A four-member team of the union home ministry, tasked with looking into reasons for the post-poll violence had met governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, reported PTI. On May 12, Hindustan Times reported that the Mamata Banerjee administration told the court that there had been no incidents of violence in the state after May 8. However, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) claimed that it had received word about the looming threat of caste-based violence since May 2. The organization scheduled a two-day state visit on May 13 and 14. The state government called for the suspension of the visit citing COVID-19 guidelines. Despite this, the NCSC is on the visit to probe the violence. Doctored graphic plates were created to falsely claim that the Calcutta High Court has ordered Mamata Banerjee to resign. But no such order has been passed. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	14th May 2021 / 5:40 pm / Last updated: 14th May 2021	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-viral-video-falsely-claim-kolkata-high-court-demands-resignation-from-mamata-banarjee-post-violence/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,036	No, farmer leader VM Singh whose net worth is Rs 600 cr is not Congress leader - Alt News Kinjal 18th December 2020 / 6:49 pm As the farmers’ protest now enters its fourth month, social media has been rife with a number of different viral claims linked to the ongoing movement, many of which were proven to be false. Recently, a graphic containing the picture of farmer leader VM Singh was widely shared. Users are claiming that Singh is part of the Congress party and has been participating in demonstrations in support of farmers despite owning property worth Rs 631 crores. The claim is viral against the backdrop of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeting the centre over its closeness to billionaire industrialists Ambani and Adani. Viral messages have hinted at political conspiracies behind the protests, alleging that Congress members are leading the farmers’ agitation., “Congress leader who owned property worth Rs. 631 crore in 2009 is now posing as a farmer and helping run the movement. You must have seen Rahul Gandhi repeatedly taking shots at Ambani and Adani. Now, check out the reality of these so-called Congress farmers,” wrote Avinash Srivastava. (Archive link) साल 2009 मे 631 करोड़ की संपत्ति का मालिक कांग्रेस नेता किसान बन के आन्दोलन चलाने में सहयोगी है। राहुल गांधी को आपने… Posted by Avinash Srivastava on Sunday, December 13, 2020 Twitter user @BefittingFacts also shared the claim. This account has been repeatedly found promoting misinformation. It was also permanently suspended by Twitter multiple times in the past yet continues to operate under a changed username against Twitter policy. (Archive link) Sardar V M Singh demanding MSP Law is a Congress leader. He was Lok Sabha candidate from Pilibhit. In 2009 he has assets worth ₹6.32 billion. #GareebKisaan pic.twitter.com/Sn9a8Sl4Gm — Facts (@BefittingFacts) December 12, 2020 In an article dated December 12, 2020, right-wing website OpIndia called VM Singh a Congress leader. In fact, this is not the first time it has identified Singh as a party member. (Archive link) OpIndia’s article was tweeted by RSS ideologue and RBI director Swaminathan Gurumurthy (archive link). Gurumurthy has shared a number of false claims on social media. You can find a detailed report on these claims here. All his sins are washed by media. ‘Farmer leader’ VM Singh protesting against farm bills is actually a Congress leader accused in 8 cases, has assets worth Rs 631 crores according to his list of assets for Pillibhit Lok Sabha seat for 2009 https://t.co/rpYHmxKIko via @OpIndia_com — S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) December 13, 2020 The graphic is being circulated widely on Twitter and Facebook. Two different claims have been made about VM Singh on social media. The first is that he is a Congress leader, and second, he has assets worth Rs. 631 crore. This article will fact-check both claims separately. Is VM Singh a Congress leader? VM Singh left the Congress in 2012 and joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He has contested elections as a Congress candidate in 2007 and 2009. After his exit from the party, he contested from a TMC seat from UP’s Barkhera. According to a 2015 Times of India report, he is also the first cousin of BJP leader Maneka Gandhi. Singh launched the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Party on December 23, 2015, and fielded 21 candidates from his party in the 2017 elections. However, none of them won. Singh’s Twitter bio also states ‘Ex MLA’ and ‘Proud Farmer’. Alt News reached out to VM Singh’s office about his supposed affiliation to the Congress and were told he is not a member of the party any more. He had left Congress back in 2012 to continue working for farmers. Singh had a falling out with the then Congress government at the centre regarding farmers’ issues and later formed a party of his own in 2015. What is VM Singh’s net worth? Alt News found an Economic Times report dated April 24, 2009, which mentions that VM Singh was the richest candidate with declared net worth of Rs 631 crore. Using ‘My Neta’ database, we discovered that he owned assets worth more than Rs. 632 crore. Singh’s office told Alt News that all the property he owns is agricultural land. According to The Economic Times, he has two non-agricultural plots, reported to be worth close to Rs 206 crore. Apart from this, he owns agricultural land estimated to be valued at Rs 414 crore. He also owns three vehicles and two houses worth Rs 14 lakh and Rs 11 crores respectively. It is worth mentioning that VM Singh was the convenor of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSSC) until recently. The Hindu reported on December 14, 2020, that he was removed from this post. An Aaj Tak report dated December 13, 2020 stated that AIKSSC did not agree with Singh’s statement about the MSP Guarantee Act and had distanced themselves from it. To sum up, farmer leader VM Singh resigned from the Congress party in 2012. While he does own assets valued at Rs 632 crore, he is no longer affiliated to the Congress. Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	18th December 2020 / 6:49 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-vm-singh-who-is-demanding-msp-for-farmers-holds-assets-worth-rs-631cr-is-congress-leader/", "author": "Kinjal" }
1,037	Fact check: Was Amit Malviya the first to tweet about Karnataka poll dates? - Alt News Arjun Sidharth 27th March 2018 / 6:54 pm / Last updated: 6th August 2018 “Karnataka will vote on 12May 2018, counting will be on 18May2018”. This is the tweet that has landed BJP IT cell incharge Amit Malviya in trouble. Malviya tweeted the dates of the Karnataka assembly election before the Election Commission made the official announcement. Malviya’s tweet came under fire, seen as a violation of the sanctity of the electoral process. He was heavily criticised on social media by a number of users. The opposition expectedly latched on to this development, and leaders of the Congress party took the lead in ridiculing Malviya who has been at the receiving end since he tweeted the date of the elections. Now that the BJP IT cell has announced Karnataka elections, time for a sneak preview of our top secret campaign video! Gifted to us by the BJP President, our campaign in Karnataka is off to a fabulous start. He says Yeddyurappa ran the most corrupt Govt ever… True. pic.twitter.com/UYqGDZuKyR — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2018 Hahaha. Thanks with this tweet You have confirmed that @malviyamit was the first to tweet the election dates, hence Super Election Commission? He tweets at 11.08am and this @TimesNow tweet is at 11.14am. EC must investigate. https://t.co/Is54QrY1HO — Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) March 27, 2018 #AmitMalviya , what are the Lok Sabha election dates ? Bata do, yaar! — Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) March 27, 2018 BJP IT Cell Head @malviyamit knew about the Date of Polling of the #KarnatakaElections2018 even before the ECI had announced it. ECI says “Certain things may have leaked.. legal action would be taken” Important Question- Did Amit Shah/Modi Access it or did ECI leak it to them? pic.twitter.com/oC1qtpIJCH — Rachit Seth (@rachitseth) March 27, 2018 The sniping was not restricted to social media but spilled on to the streets as well, with Youth Congress workers protesting against Malviya. Indian youth Congress stage protest against BJP’s social media head Amit Malviya over election date row pic.twitter.com/hDsdtsEdLZ — TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 27, 2018 Prominent news organisations reported how Malviya’s act has brought him under the scrutiny of the Election Commission which will now investigate the leak. Even Before Karnataka Poll Announcement, BJP’s Amit Malviya Tweeted Date https://t.co/9Wj83SewoZ #NDTVNewsBeeps #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/IWCQP4C1Pi — NDTV (@ndtv) March 27, 2018 BJP’s Amit Malviya tweets Karnataka poll dates before announcement, EC says action will be taken https://t.co/oKJzoXRTPU — The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) March 27, 2018 Apart from Malviya, the information was also tweeted by Srivatsa, Karnataka Congress Social Media in-charge at the same time as Malviya. Both later deleted their tweets. Amit Malviya has resorted to mischief on social media on numerous occasions. However, it turns out that in this instance, it was not him but the TV news channel Times Now that first put out the date of the Karnataka assembly polls, as reported earlier in the day by Alt News. Times Now flashed the information on the channel at 11:06/11:07 am followed immediately by Kannada news channels, whereas Malviya’s tweet was at 11:08 am. In his defence, Malviya has stated that his tweet was based on the information broadcasted by Times Now. It also stated that Congress’ social media incharge for Karnataka had also tweeted before the EC announcement on the basis of the information put out by Times Now. Letter submitted to the Election Commission by Shri @malviyamit, National In-charge, Information and Technology, BJP regarding a tweet pertaining to the election dates in Karnataka. https://t.co/0mDUFzOKCH pic.twitter.com/CziIhciO2B — BJP (@BJP4India) March 27, 2018 BJP has defended Malviya, saying that his tweet was based on information from news channels, adding that he should not have tweeted it. Amit Malviya’s tweet was based on a TV channel’s source. It had no intention to undermine the stature of EC. A Karnataka Congress leader had also tweeted the same thing. We agree that he (Malviya) shouldn’t have tweeted it: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP after meeting with EC officials pic.twitter.com/McqxhsUZCT — ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2018 Amit Malviya has been exposed on numerous occasions by Alt News in the past for spreading disinformation. However, this time around, BJP’s IT cell incharge has been caught in a web of his own making. However, in this particular instance, it was not Malviya but Times Now that tweeted the poll dates before the EC had formally announced them. Arjun Sidharth is a writer with Alt News. He has previously worked in the television news industry, where he managed news bulletins and breaking news scenarios, apart from scripting numerous prime time television stories. He has also been actively involved with various freelance projects. Sidharth has studied economics, political science, international relations and journalism. He has a keen interest in books, movies, music, sports, politics, foreign policy, history and economics. His hobbies include reading, watching movies and indoor gaming. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	27th March 2018 / 6:54 pm / Last updated: 6th August 2018	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-was-amit-malviya-the-first-to-tweet-about-karnataka-poll-dates/", "author": "Arjun Sidharth" }
1,038	Fact-check: Was Amit Shah left tongue-tied by a reporter in Telangana? - Alt News Shinjinee Majumder 8th July 2022 / 3:35 pm A clip of a journalist interviewing home minister Amit Shah has gone viral on social media. In the 14-second video, the journalist is heard saying to Shah, “It rained heavily here and there were floods as well, but not a single penny came from the central government.” This is where the clip ends and is played for a second time. It must be noted that the place of the interview has not been mentioned in the video or on the social media posts. The video contains ‘V6 News’ watermark. This video is viral on Twitter with the claim that Amit Shah was silenced by the “brave” journalist. Twitter user @FUNNYSRK shared this video and garnered over 7,500 likes and 2,032 retweets. (Archived tweet) Epic Moment 🤣😂#AmitShah #Telangana pic.twitter.com/nnwCxsy7lv — SARCASTIC 🔴 SHAHRUKH 🎥 (@FUNNYSRK) July 3, 2022 Additional Advocate General of Chhattisgarh at Supreme Court and member of the All India Congress Committee Ashok Basoya also shared this video with the same claim. (Archived tweet) पत्रकार – जब बारिश आया इधर बाढ़ आया तब मोदी सरकार तेलंगाना का कोई मदद नहीं किया अमित शाह – चुप्पी 🤐 इसे कहते है पत्रकारीता 👍👍 @INCTelangana @VamsiChandReddy @KomatireddyKVR pic.twitter.com/OhNqHcKTQY — Ashok Basoya (@ashokbasoya) July 4, 2022 Twitter user @Advaidism shared a video where the journalist is also seen asking Amit Shah about the privatisation of Railways and BSNL along with the aforementioned clip. His tweet garnered almost 7,000 likes and over 1,500 retweets. (Archived tweet) Hogaya Bhai 🤣 pic.twitter.com/x9W1ZNekJW — Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) July 5, 2022 This video was also shared on Facebook with the same claim. भाजपा की कार्यकारिणी के बाद तेलंगाना में एक पत्रकार ने अमित शाह से कठिन प्रश्न कर दिया ! इतना कठिन सवाल नहीं पूछना चाहिए था 😂😂 Posted by I am with jahangir on Monday, 4 July 2022 At 0:08 in the video, there is a jump cut which indicates that the clip has been edited. Using keywords “V6 News” and “Amit Shah” on YouTube, Alt News found a V6 News Telugu video dated November 29, 2020. The video is an interview of Amit Shah by V6 News reporter Shiva Reddy. The interview occurred during a rally in Hyderabad, ahead of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Elections 2020. Reddy was heard questioning Shah about several pertinent issues in Telangana one of which was the 2020 Hyderabad floods that were known to have caused extensive damage and loss of life. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvAJfMaLpjg?start=39] The segment heard in the viral clip begins at 0:39 when the journalist asks Shah about the Hyderabad floods and the central government’s alleged reluctance to send help. In the V6 News report, Shah responded to Reddy’s question by saying, “We had sent the maximum amount of money to Hyderabad. But where were Owaisi and KCR when the houses of 7 lakh residents got flooded?” He also alleged that “the primary reason behind the flooding was the increase in land encroachment in the city, something that Owaisi was responsible for”. Shah then vowed to rectify these loopholes if the BJP won the GHMC elections in 2020. It is thus apparent that Shah’s response to Reddy’s question was political rhetoric. As of January 30, 2021, the Centre had released Rs 245.96 crores, three months after the state sought immediate financial assistance of Rs 1,350 crore in October 2020. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won 48 seats in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections of 2020. In comparison, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won 55 and 44 seats respectively. Thus, a clipped video of a journalist questioning Amit Shah is viral on social media with the false claim that the journalist had “silenced” Shah. But the Home Minister wasn’t left tongue-tied. He did answer the reporter’s question even as his response was political rhetoric. This part was left out in the viral video. Student of Economics at Presidency University. Interested in misinformation. Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi recently performed aarti at the Narmada Ghat in Madhya Pradesh’s Omkareshwar… In the wake of the alleged murder of Shraddha Walkar by his partner Aftab Amin… The video of a group of people stopping an e-rickshaw with BJP flags attached to… Last week during the G20 summit in Bali, world leaders were informed of a missile… Recently, several prominent BJP leaders claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had intervened to stop…	news-altnews	2024-05-27T18:24:05.489452	8th July 2022 / 3:35 pm	{ "license": "Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "url": "https://www.altnews.in/englishclone/fact-check-was-amit-shah-left-tongue-tied-by-a-reporter-in-telangana/", "author": "Shinjinee Majumder" }

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