BJP members falsely claim AAP provided COVID relief only to a Muslim doctor’s family

On May 22, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted a video that shows him visiting the parents of late Dr Anas Mujahid who used to work at GTB Hospital and succumbed to COVID-19 infection. Kejriwal wrote, “He was martyred at the age of 26, treating patients.” His family was offered Rs 1 crore as a relief fund.

In the backdrop of this, several social media users have claimed that Aam Admi Party (AAP) has not offered similar aid to other families, thus alleging that the party is indulging in favouritism toward one religious community. Some users also stated that CM Kejriwal hasn’t tweeted about giving aid to other families. This claim is viral in Hindi (अनस मुजाहिद) and English.

BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay and social media head of BJP Haryana Arun Yadav drew over 5,000 retweets cumulatively for the claim.

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BJP member Gaurav Mahajan and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha member Ravi Solanki further amplified the allegation. Tweets by BJP supporters @MeghUpdates, @ExSecular and Rishi Bagree gained over 5,000 retweets cumulatively. These users have shared misinformation in the past (1, 2).

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Propaganda websites TFI Post and Kreately published an article along the identical narrative.

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FACT-CHECK

On April 19, the Government Of National Capital Territory Of Delhi and Health & Family Welfare Department stated, “Any person including Doctor, Nurse, Para-Medical Staff, Security/Sanitation Staff, or any other Government Officer/Official including Police Officer/Official, whether temporary or permanent employee or contractual, in Government or Private Sector, deployed for COVID-19 duties by Government of NCT of Delhi, if expires by contracting the disease during discharge of his/her duty, his/her family shall be compensated with ex-gratia amount of Rupees One Crore, posthumously.” (view PDF)

While social media claims suggest only Dr Anas Mujahid’s family received the aid and CM Kejriwal hasn’t tweeted about offering relief to other families, we found multiple tweets by the Chief Minister the provide otherwise. He has shared multiple videos or photos of offering aid to other families.

1. May 22: Nitin Tanwar, primary school teacher
2. May 20: Shivji Mishra, school teacher
3. March 13: Rakesh Jain, lab technician at Hindu Rao Hospital
4. February 18: Raj Kumar, security guard and Ompal, school principal
5. January 13: Dr Hitesh Gupta
6. September 2020: Rajesh Bhardwaj, a pharmacist in Delhi government
7. August 2020: Raju, cleaning employee
8. August 2020: Dr Joginder Chaudhary at Delhi government hospital
9. July 2020: Dr Javed Ali
10. July 2020: Arun Kumar, civil defence officer

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A leader from AAP shared a list of 15 families that recieved aid with Alt News on the condition of anonymity. Out of the 15, Kejriwal’s meeting with 11 families (highlighted in red/green) were tweeted by the CM. The ones highlighted in green were doctors. As for the remaining four, media reports are available for three of them — ̌Baikali Sarkar, a contractual teacher of a municipal corporation; Charan Singh, an employee of Lok Nayak Hospital, and Sheoji Mishra, teacher. The reports state that they will receive the COVID aid.

BJP leaders and supporters of the party added a misleading communal colour to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s tweet about extending COVID aid of Rs 1 crore to late Dr Anas Mujahid’s family. There are 11 other tweets posted by the CM that show him visit numerous families of COVID victims.