False claim: Violent protest by Muslims in Bhopal against RSS and Bajrang Dal - Alt News
Arjun Sidharth
26th July 2019 / 4:09 pm
“भोपाल में आर एस एस और बजरंग दल के खिलाफ सड़कों पर उतरे मुसलमान अभी भी समय है एक हो जाओ वरना अंत समय नजदीक है। पूरे भारत में और भोपाल में मुस्लिम यह कर रहे हैं तो कम से कम आप लोग वीडियो ही शेयर कर दो ताकी हिंदुओं की आंखों पर बंधी पट्टी खुल जाए”
Translation: “Muslims out on the streets in Bhopal against RSS and Bajrang Dal, there is still time, please unite otherwise the end is near. Muslims are doing this in Bhopal and throughout the country, you at least share this video so that blindfolded Hindus may take note.”
The above message accompanies a 45-second video clip which shows an irate mob vandalising a bus. The video and message have been posted on Twitter.
भोपाल में आर एस एस और बजरंग दल के खिलाफ सड़कों पर उतरे मुसलमान
अभी भी समय है एक हो जाओ वरना अंत समय नजदीक है।
पूरे भारत में और भोपाल में मुस्लिम यह कर रहे हैं तो कम से कम आप लोग वीडियो ही शेयर कर दो ताकी हिंदुओं की आंखों पर बंधी पट्टी खुल जाए🙏
@Payal_Rohatgi @RSSorg @UP_Silk pic.twitter.com/KPlIIhckPl
— ठाकुर प्रशांत कुमार (@Prashantmlsm) July 25, 2019
The above tweet has been retweeted over 1300 times so far.
भोपाल में आर एस एस और बजरंग दल के खिलाफ सड़कों पर उतरे मुसलमान
अभी भी समय है एक हो जाओ वरना अंत समय नजदीक है।
पूरे भारत में और भोपाल में मुस्लिम यह कर रहे हैं तो कम से कम आप लोग वीडियो ही शेयर कर दो ताकी हिंदुओं की आंखों पर बंधी पट्टी खुल जाए🙏
@Payal_Rohatgi
@UP_Silk pic.twitter.com/z8NQzySy8L
— Prajjval palhore { मै भी हिन्दु }😘❣️💙 (@Prajjval_) July 25, 2019
The video and the accompanying claim have also been shared on WhatsApp.
The video in question was fact-checked earlier by Alt News, when it was shared with the false claim that Muslim auto drivers in Mumbai had damaged state govt transport buses. This incident had taken place in Surat, Gujarat and NOT Bhopal, MP.
In the video, the word ‘SITILINK’ can be seen imprinted on the side of the bus. SITILINK stands for Surat Bus Rapid Transit System, which is an integrated public bus transportation system that runs only in Surat. The second clue was the number plate of the bus. A faint ‘GJ 05’ is visible at numerous points in the video. GJ 05 is the RTO vehicle registration code for Surat.
On the basis of these clues, Alt News found several news reports pertaining to the incident. A rally in protest against mob lynchings was taken out in Surat on July 5, 2019. The agitation however had turned violent, and the mob started pelting stones. According to a Times of India report, “Police lobbed 15 teargas shells and fired one round in air on Friday to disperse a mob which was pelting them with stones during a rally organised by a city-based organisation to protest against mob lynching incidents in different parts of the country. Five policemen suffered injuries in stone pelting by the mob.”
It may be noted that the video in question represents an incident of mob violence in Surat, and is not from Bhopal as claimed.
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.
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