TLI Fact Check Recap: A Glance At How Communal Misinformation Was Shared In 2022

2022 was a year when the misinformation ecosystem was quite active. Misinformation across social media reflected this trend and The Logical Indian's Fact Check Team observed a diverse range of misleading claims centred around religious issues.

We resorted to several techniques to detect and verify misinformation ranging from reverse image searches to Geo-locating where the visuals were shot. In several instances, we contacted the police authorities and the people affected by the misleading claims to find the truth of viral claims.

Terms such as 'Love Jihad' maligning a particular religious community made the rounds of social media this year, along with false claims centred around Hindu-Muslim religious structures.

1. Sudarshan News: Mazar Being Built Over Shiv Temple In Jaipur

Sudarshan News circulated many pieces of misinformation targeting the Muslim community throughout the year, one of their misleading claim was that a Mazar was built over Shiv Temple in Jaipur. A man is seen in the video standing in front of a temple, claiming that the Devsthan Vibhag and Congress-led-Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan have shut down a Shiv Mandir.

In our Fact Check, we found that the Mazar was not constructed recently, as claimed by Sudarshan News. The videos and images available on the internet suggest, along with testimony from local police indicates, that the Mazar is almost 50 years old and has been a symbol of communal harmony in the region.

2. Hijab Row: Unrelated Video from Uttar Pradesh passed off as a video from Karnataka

In the midst of the Hijab row that broke out in Karnataka during the month of February, we cross-checked several viral videos circulating across social media and found them to be false or misleading. A video showed some police officers thrashing burqa-wearing women with sticks.

We found that the viral video was from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and was not connected to the Hijab row in Karnataka.

3. Hindu Youth Stabbed To Death By Muslims In Dasna, UP? No, Viral Claim Was False

Social media users used gruesome and tragic incidents to further communal hatred. In the latter half of February, a 30-second video became viral showing some people stabbing a youth several times in broad daylight. The video was shared with a claim that Muslims murdered a Hindu boy in Dasna, Ghaziabad district of UP.

Our investigation showed that the incident occurred in the Seemapuri area of Delhi in December 2021 and was falsely indicated as having occurred in Dasna, Ghaziabad. As per media reports and the Delhi Police, the youth who died was not a Hindu but from the Muslim community. The viral claim of the communal angle to the video was entirely false.

4. Video Falsely circulated as a woman assaulting a Muslim man inspired by Kashmir Files

After the release of the Vivek Agnihotri-helmed film 'Kashmir Files', viral claims began circulating across social media targeting the Muslim community. In March, a particular 41-second long video showing a woman beating a Muslim man went viral with the claim that the woman's actions were inspired by "The Kashmir Files."

Our investigation revealed that the viral video was of October 2021, when a Hindutva leader Madhu Sharma thrashed a Muslim man in a train, claiming that he allegedly pushed her. The video had no connection with the film 'The Kashmir Files'.

5. Muslims Celebrating After Khargone Violence? No, the viral video was Old

On 10 April 2022, a clash between Hindus and Muslims occurred in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, leading to 90 cases being registered in connection with the Ram Navami communal violence and over 185 persons being arrested. A video was circulated in connection with Khargone violence, alleging that Muslims celebrated after the violence.

After geo-locating the video, we confirmed that it was shot in Jamindar Mohalla Ganesh Chowk, Madhya Pradesh, located in Khargone. However, our fact check found that the video dated back to September 2018.

6. Sudarshan News Targets Another Religious Site With False Communal Claims

In the controversy that erupted around the Gyanvapi Masjid, Sudarshan News continued the spread of communal misinformation with a video claiming that a Muslim mausoleum was built on a place of Hindu worship.

In the 2-minute video, a man seen in the viral video claims that the construction of the Mazar near the Hindu religious site was a conspiracy by Muslims to capture the sacred Hindu site.

It became evident from our investigation and the statements of the police and the family which had installed the structure that a Hindu Brahmin family installed the structure in memory of their ancestors. There was no communal angle to the incident.

7. Sadhguru Falsely Claimed That No Communal Violence Took Place In India For The Past Ten Years

In June, Sadhguru claimed in an interview with ANI that there had been no communal violence in India for the past ten years.

This claim is contrary to the recent incidents of communal clashes that took place in Jahangirpuri, Jodhpur and Karauli. While Sadhguru didn't clarify his definition of major communal violence, it can be observed that within the past ten years, there have been 3,399 incidents of communal riots in India from 2016 to 2020.

8. No Muslims In Kerala Did Not March Against Appointment Of An Brahmin District Collector

A video of people from the Muslim community marching went viral in August with the claim that Muslims were protesting the appointment of an IAS officer as a district collector because he was a Brahmin.

In our Fact Check, we found that the video was from Malappuram, Kerala. The Muslim Jamaat organised the protest march to protest against the appointment of IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman as the Alleppey district collector. Venkitaraman is the main accused in the death of journalist KM Basheer, which took place in August 2019.

9. 400 Mosques Stole Electricity In Uttar Pradesh? No, Viral Claim Is False

Media outlets such as Navbharat Times and LiveHindustan also spread communal misinformation. On September 25, 2022, both media outlets alleged that around 400 mosques and madrasas had been identified in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, operating without an electricity connection.

The Logical Indian Fact Check team found that both temples and mosques have been detected in electricity theft as per a statement given by an engineer with the electricity department in Rampur; 59 temples and 115 mosques in Rampur were identified for electricity theft.

10. Tarek Fateh Spreads Misinformation Regarding Communal Issues

Prominent Pakistani-Canadian media personality Tarek Fatah has routinely circulated misinformation centred around religion. On October 25, 2022, Fateh shared a video of a man standing behind bars that went viral with the claim that the man behind bars was an Indian Muslim who allegedly raped his 25-year-old daughter.

Our investigation showed that the video was of Pakistan. The accused, Mushtaq Ahmed, was arrested by Bin Qasim police in Karachi after his daughter filed a complaint of sexual assault.

11. Jabalpur Murder Case: Hindu Man Wrongly Portrayed As A Killer From Muslim Community

In the aftermath of the horrific Shradha Walker murder case, a video of a man confessing to murdering a woman as she can be seen lying in a bed soaked in blood. The man in the video says, "Do not cheat...this is the result of infidelity". Social media users circulated the video claiming that the man in the viral video belonged to the Muslim community.

The Logical Indian Fact Check Team found that the accused was identified as Abhijeet Patidar, while the victim was identified as Shilpa Jharia. No communal angle was involved in this case.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.

Also Read: Did Muslim Miscreants Steal Valuables From Rishabh Pant After Horrific Car Crash? No, Viral Claims Are Falses