Misleading video shared as Sultan's wife carrying Ramayana at first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi - Alt News
Jignesh Patel
18th May 2019 / 5:46 pm / Last updated: 19th February 2021
“Sultan Sheikh Mohammed in Abu Dhabi has fulfilled his promise given to Modi by building the first Hindu temple. Sultan’s wife is carrying the Ramayana on her head towards the temple along with Sheikh Mohammed and Ram Katha Vachak Moraji Bapu. Truly incredible view,” reads a viral message shared with a video on social media.
🙏 * सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद ने अबू धाबी में, प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी से अपने वादे के अनुसार पहला हिंदू मंदिर बनवाया। * सुल्तान की पत्नी बेगम सिर पर पवित्र रामायण की प्रति लेकर मंदिर की ओर जा रही हैं, और साथ में सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद, pic.twitter.com/iXuwAhuUS8
— Akash RSS (@Satynistha) February 4, 2021
The message reads in Hindi, “सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद ने अबू धाबी में, प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी से अपने वादे के अनुसार पहला हिंदू मंदिर बनवाया।* सुल्तान की पत्नी बेगम सिर पर पवित्र रामायण की प्रति लेकर मंदिर की ओर जा रही हैं, और साथ में सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद, राम कथा वाचक एच। पी। मोरारी बापू भी दिखाई दे रहे हैं। ** सच में अद्भुत दृश्य।”
It is widespread on both Facebook and Twitter.
The above message is being circulated with a video where Ram Katha preacher Morari Bapu can be seen walking amongst the public at an event. The message claims that as promised to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sultan Sheikh Mohammed has built a temple in Abu Dhabi. It is being claimed that the visuals depict the wife of Sultan Sheikh Mohammed carrying the holy Ramayana on her head while she is accompanied by her husband and the preacher himself.
The video was also shared in 2019.
🙏सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद ने अबू धाबी में, प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी से अपने वादे के अनुसार पहला हिंदू मंदिर बनवाया।
सुल्तान की पत्नी बेगम सिर पर पवित्र रामायण की प्रति लेकर मंदिर की ओर जा रही हैं, और साथ में सुल्तान शेख मोहम्मद, राम कथा वाचक एच। पी। मोरारी बापू भी दिखाई दे रहे हैं pic.twitter.com/Tr9A20oRle
— अजय कुमार #३ह🚩 (@Ajaysir01) May 21, 2019
It was in fact viral on Facebook and Twitter with the same message.
Alt News had earlier debunked another video from the same event when it was falsely claimed by leading news channels Times Now and Zee News that Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated the Ram Katha of Morari Bapu in Abu Dhabi. Later, it was found that the person is a United Arab Emirates-based columnist and commentator on Arab affairs named Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi and NOT the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Coming to the video, the same UAE based columnist Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi can be seen walking with Morari Bapu. You can see his profile here. The clip from the complete video, uploaded on Morari Bapu’s official YouTube channel, can be seen below. In his opening remarks, an unknown speaker can be heard announcing a list of guests. However, the name of the Crown Prince is not announced in this list. He also cannot be visually spotted among the guests were present for the event. Hence, it is evident that Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was not present at the event.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGS74ELjtU?start=373]
Moreover, ABP News also found out that the woman carrying the holy book was Siya, the organizer’s daughter and not from the Royal family. In the video posted below, Morari Bapu in a statement given to the channel can be heard saying that she was the organizer’s daughter and her name is Siya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=218&v=aoeB-OeMJIk
As far as the construction of a temple in Abu Dabhi is concerned, the foundation stone of the first Hindu temple was laid recently in April 2019. The foundation-stone laying ceremony was presided by Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. It will be built on the land gifted to the Indian community by Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University.
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