Photo of Rajasthan BJP MLA falsely shared as RSS man impersonating Delhi cop

In the backdrop of protests against the centre’s farm laws, a video has been shared with the claim that RSS goons have posed as policemen.

Must watch this video👇
Truth behind the Riots.
They are RSS goons who were in Police uniforms.
Even Police knowing this not taking any Action and Godi media are Silent.

Shame on them#GodiMediaStopMisleading #Homeminister_should_resign pic.twitter.com/KfGvpH31CQ

— Suraj G Naik (@yoursurajnaik) January 30, 2021

The claim that RSS members disguised as the Delhi police thrashed farmers during Republic Day tractor parade is widespread on both Twitter and Facebook.

Viral in 2019 during anti-CAA protests

Twitter handle @Desipoliticks had posted the same video in December during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Here, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla can also be spotted in the group.

Twitter user Faizan tweeted two images – a screenshot from the viral video of the man in police dress and a man standing besides Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in RSS attire. He wrote, “मार्केट में नकली पुलिस एक कदम विकास की ओर नारंगी का प्रमोशन (घेर ) वाले निकर से पेन्ट में विथ नकली टोपी ओर स्टार के साथ (Fake police in the market is a step towards development and promotion of the orange [colour identified with BJP/RSS]. From a half pant to a full pant with a fake cap and stars -translated)”.

A similar claim conveyed in a graphic, wherein the same two images are juxtaposed against each other, was circulating on WhatsApp. “The man spotted in police uniform without badge is actually RSS goon”, read the text inscribed in the graphic.

Fact-check

Alt News found that the claim that the man in the police dress is the same person who was seen in a picture with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, is simply put false. Alt News scourged through the public posts on Om Birla’s Facebook account and found some more images where he was spotted with the same man.

We then contacted Mahendra Gautam who among many other individuals was one of the people tagged in the images posted by Birla. He informed us that the man in the said images is BJP MLA Ashok Dogra from Bundi assembly constituency in Rajasthan.

The comparison posted below clearly shows that the man in the RSS attire (in the viral image) and BJP MLA Ashok Dogra is the same person.

Alt News found one more image of Dogra and Birla in RSS attire.

A comparison of Dogra’s image with an image of the Delhi cop shows that these are two different men.

In conclusion, a photograph of Rajasthan BJP MLA Ashok Dogra with Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla was falsely shared with the claim that Dogra was impersonating as a Delhi cop during recent protests against Citizenship Act. The same video and images were revived during the farmers’ protest.