A video of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan paying respects and offering prayers at the funeral of late singer Lata Mangeshkar was shared by BJP office bearers with the claim that Khan spat on Mangeshkar’s mortal remains. State in-charge of BJP Haryana IT cell Arun Yadav and BJP spokesperson Gaurav Goel were among the BJP members who shared the video.
क्या इसने थूका है ❓ pic.twitter.com/RZOa2NVM5I
— Arun Yadav (@beingarun28) February 6, 2022
Education doesn’t make everybody a “Gentleman” ??
Is he spitting ?? If so then extremely disrespectful… pic.twitter.com/KPBiY3XBPN
— Gaurav Goel (@goelgauravbjp) February 6, 2022
It was also tweeted by VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal and retired IPS officer M Nageswara Rao.
ये थूका है, फूंका है या इस्लामी प्रार्थना का कोई नायाब तरीका है!! ये तो #ShahRukhKhan को ही बताना पड़ेगा किंतु क्या ये सब करना यहां उचित था? pic.twitter.com/67KGC7et8C
— विनोद बंसल Vinod Bansal (@vinod_bansal) February 6, 2022
Suresh Chavhanke also amplified the claim that Khan spat on the late singer’s body on his channel Sudarshan News.
— Suresh Chavhanke “Sudarshan News” (@SureshChavhanke) February 6, 2022
Alt News has received multiple requests to verify whether Khan indeed spat during the funeral ceremony.
Shah Rukh Khan was offering dua
Shah Rukh Khan is quite evidently not spitting on Lata Mangeshwar’s mortal remains. He is offering dua (prayer) by blowing into the air. This is a common practice among Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. Alt News spoke with Maulana Mahmood Madani, Islamic scholar and president of the Mahmood faction of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind. He also confirmed the same to us.
In fact, several other Islamic scholars have clarified that the practice is common and well-known.
Did Shah Rukh Khan ‘spit’ on #LataMangeshkar‘s mortal remains?
Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal spokesperson Maulana Sufiyan Nizami rubbishes allegations; states Bollywood star @iamsrk was ‘blowing air’, a common practice in Islam to ward off evil spirits. pic.twitter.com/EsXCeu4c1m
— Asianet Newsable (@AsianetNewsEN) February 7, 2022
As an influential Muslim actor, Shah Rukh Khan is often targeted by members and supporters of the BJP. Alt News has also documented several pieces of misinformation in the past that attempt to portray him as pro-Pakistan.
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an organised campaign to not only blame Muslims for purposely spreading the virus, but also paint them as “unhygienic”. Alt News had debunked a similar claim last November where members of the BJP claimed that a Qazi was spitting on food. But in reality, he blew on the food for Barkat (prosperity) and well-being.
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