The year that was: Misinformation trends of 2020 - Alt News
Pooja Chaudhuri
5th January 2021 / 6:50 pm / Last updated: 8th January 2021
The word ‘unprecedented’ only mildly captures the year 2020. The coronavirus pandemic did more than confine the privileged inside their homes and leave the destitute to their fates. It has changed the way we live.
However, in a year mired with communal riots, student protests, civil rights movements and vilification of minorities, COVID-19 may not be the sole defining point for India.
The past year is a reminder of mainstream media’s role in spreading misinformation. Unrestrained ‘news’ anchors screamed at television screens, feeding erroneous information to millions. From the start of the year with protests against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) to the ongoing farmers’ protest, mainstream journalists have remained at the forefront of airing misleading pro-government propaganda.
This report will list the top pieces of misinformation debunked by Alt News. The compilation has been broken down into various sub-sections as follows:
1. Misinformation surrounding CAA protests, Delhi riots and violence at Jamia and JNU.
2. Misinformation around coronavirus and the vilification of the Muslim community.
3. Misleading media reports during the displacement of migrant workers due to COVID-19 lockdown.
4. Medical misinformation shared in the wake of COVID-19.
5. Media misinformation on India-China dispute.
6. False news surrounding farmers’ protest.
7. Attempts to legitimise ‘love jihad’.
Misinformation surrounding CAA protests, Delhi riots and violence at Jamia and JNU
The two months prior to the pandemic taking over our lives saw an overwhelming amount of disinformation related to protests against the CAA, violence at Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the Delhi riots.
The most widespread narrative used to discredit the anti-CAA movement was that the women at Shaheen Bagh were paid to protest. National in-charge of social media at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Amit Malviya’s tweet carrying a video of a ‘sting’ disclosing that the women were accepting Rs 500 each was debunked via a joint investigation by Alt News and Newslaundry. While mainstream news channels Times Now, Republic and India Today debated on the ‘sting’, it was nothing more than three people spreading rumours standing outside a shop in Delhi.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya and other party members tweeted a “sting” video claiming that Shaheen Bagh women were paid Rs 500 for protesting against CAA-NRC. Alt News and @newslaundry investigate the allegation. | @thisisjignesh @sighyush https://t.co/xEDkuD6Zyq
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 4, 2020
A similar video of relief distribution to those affected in the riots was shared as the Muslim community accepting bribes.
The viral video of women lined up in a queue receiving cash doesn’t depict Shaheen Bagh protesters being ‘paid’. It represents relief provided to Delhi riot victims. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Priyankajha0 @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/e3q7HQH4pN
— Alt News (@AltNews) March 3, 2020
Members and supporters of the BJP shared these clips that still adorn their timelines.
In a report published months after the riots, Alt News interviewed a man who had made several objectionable posts during the communal riots. The report showed how radicalisation was linked to disinformation. Sudesh Thakur, associated with the far-right group Hindu Raksha Dal, cited the same video of relief distribution to discredit the protests.
Provocative hate speech videos were widely shared during the Delhi riots. Alt News revisits one such Facebook live video to uncover the links between misinformation and radicalisation. | @ArchitMeta https://t.co/EitJZnMYSG
— Alt News (@AltNews) August 22, 2020
Furthermore, false claims of Muslim women selling drugs and engaging in prostitution were also widespread at the time. Jamia scholar and anti-CAA protestor Safoora Zaragar’s pregnancy was used to question her marriage. Even as Zargar’s personal life has no bearing on her politics, Twitter was flooded with sexist remarks targetting the activist.
Times Now aired a video of a man firing at a Muslim mob with the false claim that he was anti-CAA protestor shooting at cops.
Times Now misinforms yet again, plays a video claiming it shows a man firing at cops during Delhi riots. #AltNewsFactCheck finds that he was shooting at a Muslim mob in Vijay Park. | @free_thinker @zoo_bear @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/V6kOiC6126
— Alt News (@AltNews) March 12, 2020
We also published a report on ANI’s skewed coverage of protests against the CAA held abroad. While the news agency regularly aired visuals of people coming out in support of the law, large protests opposing the legislation were overlooked.
Despite large-scale #CAA_NRC_Protests held abroad, ANI has only reported about pro-CAA demonstrations. #AltNewsFactCheck looks at the news agency’s skewed coverage of overseas protests. | @ArchitMeta @HereisKinjal https://t.co/Iu0h7ueXBU
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 6, 2020
Mainstream media was found airing misleading news about the December 2019 police violence at Jamia as well. Following the release of a CCTV footage by Jamia Coordination Committee, India Today attempted to dilute police brutality by portraying that miscreants had gathered in a reading room and the police followed them. The channel only showed students blocking the door but not police ruthlessly charging at them after entering the room by force. Moreover, the channels mixed visuals of two different floors.
Alt News investigation: India Today and its botched up ‘exclusive’ on Jamia police violence. | @thisisjignesh @Priyankajha0 https://t.co/biErwfI03x
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 18, 2020
A plethora of media outlets and pro-government online portals also misreported a wallet in a student’s hand during police lathi-charge as a stone.
Mainstream media outlets including India Today, Times Now, Republic and News Nation claimed that a Jamia student was seen with stones in a CCTV footage. #AltNewsFactCheck found their reportage to be false. | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/gc70gaqktg
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 17, 2020
Journalists were at the forefront of sharing misleading news after JNU violence on the intervening night of January 5-6. Vikas Bhadauria of ABP News and public broadcaster Prasar Bharati falsely suggested that the violence was sparked after Left parties attacked ABVP. But the video below shows an ABVP member assaulting an AISA student.
A video of an ABVP member assaulting an AISA student in JNU has been shared by multiple prominent journalists, Prasar Bharati and BJP office bearers as members of Left assaulting ABVP cadre. #AltNewsFactCheck #JNUViolence | @Pooja_Chaudhuri @free_thinkerhttps://t.co/nJMr9rUpqE
— Alt News (@AltNews) January 6, 2020
During a January 10 press conference by Delhi police on JNU violence, DCP (Crime) Joy Tirkey laid down the purported sequence of events that led to the rampage in the varsity campus. He released print-outs which had pictures of suspects. Alt News found that these were earlier circulated by RSS-affiliated ABVP members on social media in the exact print and design.
Delhi police probe or ABVP investigation? DCP releases images shared earlier by ABVP | @free_thinker @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/VBjynMr4Rr
— Alt News (@AltNews) January 11, 2020
Alt News also investigated the masked woman who was shot inside JNU campus during the violence. Based on multiple corroborations, we were able to establish that ABVP activist Komal Sharma was caught on camera as part of the mob.
Alt News investigation: Confirming the identity of the masked woman photographed during JNU violence. | @thisisjignesh @free_thinker @zoo_bear https://t.co/FyVimRz7PG
— Alt News (@AltNews) January 10, 2020
In another report, Alt News established a JNU student’s association with ABVP after he was caught confessing his involvement in the January 5-6 violence to India Today.
Alt News investigates ABVP’s link with Akshat Awasthi, the JNU student exposed in India Today sting. #JNUTapes | @zoo_bear @thisisjignesh https://t.co/kzrGyyNnn9
— Alt News (@AltNews) January 11, 2020
Now, coming back to protests against the CAA and the subsequent communal riots in Delhi. Home Minister Amit Shah had accepted a ‘fact-finding’ report on the Delhi riots which was replete with disinformation and cited OpIndia as a source multiple times.
But there were also instances when misinformation was used against the pro-CAA group. For instance, the Jafrabad shooter was misidentified as part of the pro-CAA mob and false claims also suggested he was spotted with BJP Delhi leader Kapil Mishra.
Several on social media, including AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan and Salman Nizami, suggested that the Jafrabad shooter was part of a pro-CAA mob carrying ‘saffron’ flags. #AltNewsFactCheck found this allegation to be untrue. | @thisisjignesh @free_thinker https://t.co/szdVx4AIMP
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 24, 2020
The Delhi police were targetted with posts sharing old clips of police excess in other states. However, it is noteworthy that the Delhi police was caught on camera thrashing injured men and forcing them to sing the national anthem during the riots.
Alt News independently verified that the video showing policemen beating up injured men and forcing them to sing the national anthem was shot during #DelhiRiots2020 on February 24 in the vicinity of Jafrabad. #AltNewsFactCheck | @thisisjigneshhttps://t.co/LbllQWmGcp
— Alt News (@AltNews) February 26, 2020
Misinformation around coronavirus and the vilification of the Muslim community
After Delhi’s Nizamuddin was identified as a COVID-19 hotspot, social media was rife with misinformation attempting to hold the Muslim community responsible for the spread of the virus.
An FIR was filed against an elderly Muslim vendor for washing his hands using a water bottle on his vegetable cart. While the FIR said he used the same bottle to sprinkle water on fruits, the allegations were twisted on social media. He was accused of sprinkling urine.
Sambit Patra, Suresh Chavhanke and Tarek Fatah shared a video from Bijnor where an elderly Muslim vendor was falsely accused of sprinkling urine on bananas. The police have clarified that the claim is completely bogus. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Priyankajha0https://t.co/t5wdOQz2bX
— Alt News (@AltNews) April 24, 2020
An old video of a Sufi ritual was shared as Muslims purposely sneezing to spread coronavirus.
An unrelated video of a Sufi ritual is massively viral on social media with the false claim that a large group of people intentionally sneezed inside Nizamuddin mosque to spread coronavirus infection. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri @free_thinker https://t.co/lUzJkEnjXK
— Alt News (@AltNews) April 1, 2020
Several other old and unrelated videos were viral suggesting that Muslims licked utensils, scattered currency notes and spat on food to spread the infection.
An audio clip was also viral in Gujarati. It falsely claimed that Muslim vendors sprung up in Surat to spread coronavirus.
A Surat resident was arrested for creating a provocative audio clip which falsely claimed that Muslim vendors have sprung up in the city intending to spread coronavirus. He also called for a boycott of the community. #AltNewsFactCheck | @thisisjigneshhttps://t.co/LdMtI5s98f
— Alt News (@AltNews) April 7, 2020
In one of our reports, we showed how a disabled Muslim man was hounded on social media, even by journalist Vikas Bhadauria and news channel TV9 Gujarati, for accidentally dropping a currency note in a petrol pump. None of the tweets was taken down despite the man showing his injury.
A Muslim man with partial paralysis in his hand accidentally dropped currency notes at a petrol pump. The video was shared by ABP News’s Vikas Bhaduria and TV9 Gujarati falsely connecting it with coronavirus. #AltNewsFactCheck | @zoo_bear @HereisKinjal https://t.co/VmcUnDJ03L
— Alt News (@AltNews) April 27, 2020
Another regional media outlet Public TV had aired the false news that Muslim youths in Karnataka refused COVID-19 test due to “religious reasons”. OpIndia and MyNation also carried the story. The claim was based on the statement of a localite and the channel did not bother to speak with local health workers. Alt News contacted multiple authorities and found this information to be false.
A broadcast by Kannada channel Public TV falsely claimed four Muslim youths in Karnataka’s Bhatkal refused coronavirus testing for “religious reasons”. The dubious news was promoted by OpIndia and My Nation. #AltNewsFactCheck | @zoo_bear https://t.co/THuowfjz0P
— Alt News (@AltNews) March 16, 2020
A similar claim was widespread by regional Hindi outlets News24, Punjab Kesari, Amar Ujala, Times Now Hindi and News18. They misreported that Muslim foreign nationals from Iran, Italy and China were hiding inside a mosque in Bihar during coronavirus pandemic. However, they were from Krygyzstan and had arrived in India before the first coronavirus case was reported in the country.
Kyrgyzstan citizens housed in a Patna mosque for Jamaat were misidentified as people from Iran, Italy by News24 and ANI Bihar chief. False social media claims asserted they were hiding to evade COVID-19 testing. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Priyankajha0 @zoo_bearhttps://t.co/AQwpXRSVav
— Alt News (@AltNews) March 28, 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak also witnessed false claims circulating among the Muslim community that Muslims do not contract the virus. Viral messages suggested that non-Muslims are offering Namaz, US President Donald Trump offered Islamic prayers and China lifted the ban on the Quran in the wake of the pandemic.
Misleading media reports during the displacement of migrant workers due to COVID-19 lockdown.
The displacement of labourers after the central government announced a sudden lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 saw mainstream channels airing false news. On April 14, ABP Majha’s reporter Rahul Kulkarni was among the 11 people arrested by Mumbai police for their alleged role in “rumour-mongering” that was believed to have led nearly 2,000 migrant workers to gather near Bandra station. The reporter had cited an internal railways document to claim that special trains would transport stranded migrants back home. ABP Group’s Hindi channel ABP News also broadcasted the visuals and dubbed the gathering as a “conspiracy” due to the presence of a mosque near the station. Later in the day, ABP News journalist Rubika Liyaquat did a Facebook live from the official Facebook page of ABP News and rubbished the rumour that the Muslim community had gathered at the station. The ABP Group spread rumours, blamed the Muslim community for the rumours and subsequently debunked the rumours all in a day’s time.
ABP News attempted to portray ‘conspiracy’ by the mosque to gather Muslims near Bandra station. Rubika Liyaquat took a 180 on the channel’s claims and reported that the incident was a migrant crisis with no Muslim angle. #AltNewsFactCheck | @thisisjigneshhttps://t.co/nDahDGh8H2
— Alt News (@AltNews) April 16, 2020
After several migrant workers passed away in Shramik special trains, the government’s fact-checking wing PIB Fact Check declared news reports on the deaths as false. PIB claimed that the deceased persons were either suffering from pre-existing medical conditions or had recently undergone treatment. But the outlet did not provide any medical reports to support its claim. Alt News fact-checked four of PIB’s ‘fact-checks’ and found that three of them were unsubstantiated.
Alt News spoke with four families of people who died in Shramik trains. While PIB Fact Check claimed pre-existing medical conditions led to the deaths, three of the families denied that the victims had long-term illness. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Priyankajha0https://t.co/SHSEhebua1
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 9, 2020
In another ‘fact-check’, PIB claimed that the family of 23-year-old Arvina Khatoon who died in a Shramik train said that she had long-term illness. Alt News spoke with Khatoon’s father, mother, sister-in-law and bother — all of whom refuted the government’s narrative.
A video of a toddler tugging at a blanket covering his dead mother was one of the most traumatic scenes of the lockdown. Read how PIB Fact Check misused fact-checking to downplay her death. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri @free_thinker @Dr_Sharfarozhttps://t.co/mfKLjjDnw5
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 2, 2020
The pandemic also saw the Solicitor General (SG) of India quoting a WhatsApp forward in the Supreme Court to target journalists critical of the government’s handling of the crisis.
Medical misinformation shared in the wake of COVID-19
The outbreak of coronavirus saw the spread of medical misinformation including the promotion of alternative treatment promising the prevention of the disease. One of the most widespread claims was that homeopathic drug Arsenicum Album 30 boosts immunity. While the AYUSH Ministry emphasized the use of the drug, no scientific research suggests Arsenicum Album 30 will boost immunity in humans or in animals to protect against infectious diseases.
AYUSH ministry advised the use of Arsenicum album 30 for prevention of coronavirus. As with other homeopathic medication, this drug has not been tested or proven to reduce #Covid_19 infection. #AltNewsSciCheck | @Neurophysik @AltNewsSciencehttps://t.co/seHuDepIhZ
— Alt News (@AltNews) May 19, 2020
The AYUSH Ministry also promoted the use of Kwath or Kadha to ‘boost’ immunity in the fight against COVID-19. Alt News Science published a report explaining that a healthy diet and lifestyle help in maintaining the immunity that we innately possess but there is no way to pop a pill or drink kadha to ‘boost’ the immune system. The term ‘immunity booster’ has no basis in medical science, yet remains widely used by the Ministry of AYUSH and the media alike.
AYUSH Ministry promoted herbal formulation AYUSH Kwath (kadha) for ‘immunity boosting’ during COVID. The term ‘immunity booster’ has no basis in medical science, yet it’s widely used by the ministry and media. #AltNewsSciCheck | @Dr_Sharfaroz @Neurophysikhttps://t.co/w9U8Dw2aKw
— Alt News (@AltNews) August 10, 2020
Home remedies suggested by ayurveds were also debunked by Alt News Science. Other widespread false claims that COVID-19 is a bacterial infection, WHO claimed that asymptomatic patients cannot spread the virus and that coronavirus is man-made were also debunked at length.
Alt News Science further investigated the evidence submitted by Patanjali to claim that Cornil can act as a cure for COVID-19.
After AYUSH Ministry disallowed promotion of Coronil as a ‘cure’ for coronavirus, Patanjali submitted reports to prove its efficacy. @AltNewsScience found that their ‘evidence’ lacks scientific basis to suggest Coronil can cure Covid-19. | @Neurophysik
https://t.co/wmURpK3oKr
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 26, 2020
Media misinformation on India-China dispute
A deadly face-off between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Galwan valley on June 15 led to the deaths of 20 Indian army men. The casualties suffered on the Chinese side, on the other hand, were left to much speculation by the Chinese government thus giving rise to misinformation. On August 31, however, Aaj Tak claimed to have obtained ‘exclusive’ imagery that proves “40 PLA soldiers” were killed in the cross-border skirmish. Aaj Tak’s English counterpart India Today also broadcast similar visuals. Times Now claimed, “Photos of 106 PLA tombstones reveal [the] extent of Chinese casualties in June 15 Galwan clash.” Swarajya penned an article based on Times Now’s reportage. NewsX and ABP News also broadcast shows where they claimed over 30 graves of Chinese soldiers who died in Galwan clashes were discovered.
As it turned out, the imagery depicted the Chinese military cemetery in Kangxiwa town that contains graves of PLA soldiers martyred in the 1962 Indian-Sino war.
India Today, Aaj Tak, Times Now ran images of PLA cemetery as proof of Chinese casualties in Galwan. #AltNewsFactCheck examined the satellite imagery of this cemetery from 2011 and found their claims to be false. | @free_thinker @Pooja_Chaudhuri @zoo_bearhttps://t.co/AOVGbogkiR
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 1, 2020
Prior to this, several mainstream media outlets and journalists claimed “43 Chinese troops were killed” in the face-off. The claim was based on news agency ANI’s tweet which quoted “sources” and claimed that the Chinese have suffered 43 casualties, including the dead and injured. The news became viral even as neither the Chinese side nor any prominent Indian defence journalist had confirmed the number of casualties in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
43 Chinese soldiers killed? DD News, ABP News, India TV, Rajat Sharma, Sushant Sinha, Sumit Awasthi, Major Gaurav Arya, Shehzad Poonawalla mislead on India-China border tensions. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/fMA4vSsNxC
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 16, 2020
The next day saw another unverified casualty number on the Chinese side — 5. The source of this ‘news’ was an Indian account and the unverified information was amplified by Indian media and journalists.
Earlier in the day, several journalists including Rubika Liyaquat, Rohit Sardana claimed 5 Chinese soldiers died in the ongoing India-China dispute. Times Now claimed the same. This was based on an unverified source. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/quAnqPLryy
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 16, 2020
However, the most absurd ‘news’ that reached viewers was Times Now reading out names of dead Chinese soldiers from a WhatsApp forward.
Times Now read out names of “30 dead Chinese soldiers” citing Chinese publication Global Times as the source. The anchors retracted soon after realising that the channel had fallen for a fake WhatsApp forward. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/ItbeNy5x0g
— Alt News (@AltNews) June 17, 2020
Another important story debunked by Alt News was Congress members sharing a video of the Pangong Lake on the Chinese side with the claim that the country has started tourism on the Indian side. We verified the location of the lake using Google Earth and imagery from Chinese websites.
Congress members shared a video insinuating that it shows Chinese tourists on the Indian side of Pangong lake. Read #AltNewsFactCheck to find out how we used geolocation to debunk the claim. | @aqib_starlin @free_thinker @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/iiGVkmIwIz
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 11, 2020
False news surrounding farmers’ protest
The ongoing farmers’ protests against the centre’s three farm bills have sparked the circulation of sectarian misinformation that attempts to brand the farmers as pro-Pakistan and pro-Khalistan. Old videos from UK and the US were shared to promote the narrative.
A 7-year-old photo of a protest led by minority communities, including Sikhs, in London has been falsely shared as the Indian national flag desecrated during farmers’ protest. #AltNewsFactCheck | @aqib_starlin https://t.co/wHDQeFIScj
— Alt News (@AltNews) December 7, 2020
It is also being claimed that the Muslim community is behind the agitation that isn’t really led by farmers. An old photo of a Muslim man in a turban was shared to falsely suggest that he participated in the protests disguised as a farmer.
A photo that predates both the farmers’ protest and the introduction of agricultural reform ordinances approved in June has been falsely shared as Muslim man disguised as Sikh to participate in the agitation. #AltNewsFactCheck | @aqib_starlin https://t.co/cVHD4ft3oH
— Alt News (@AltNews) November 28, 2020
A video from 2011 was also circulated with similar false claim.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also attempted to push its narrative that the farmers are satisfied with the new legislation by lifting an old photograph of a ‘smiling farmer’. The man whose image was used has been protesting at Singhu border.
BJP used a protestor’s image for an advertisement for farm laws. After the man’s objection to the use of his photo without permission, OpIndia rushed to the BJP’s defence and failed. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/9U7W3MJ6s0
— Alt News (@AltNews) December 23, 2020
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted a clipped video to water-down police action against farmers.
A viral image of a cop swinging his baton at an elderly farmer was tweeted by Rahul Gandhi criticising Modi govt for farmers’ protest. In response, Amit Malviya shared a clipped video to water down police action. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/ObOCHgNfU3
— Alt News (@AltNews) November 30, 2020
Attempts to legitimise ‘love jihad’
After the Uttar Pradesh government passed an anti-conversion law to curb ‘love jihad’ cases in the state, multiple old and unrelated videos of violence against women have been making the rounds on social media to demonise the Muslim community.
An old case of a Muslim woman murdered in a case of ‘honour-killing’ was shared with the false claim that she was a Hindu woman killed after a Muslim man trapped her with the promise of love.
An incident from 2018 where a Muslim woman was killed by her father and brother for being in an interfaith relationship has been shared with the false claim that a Hindu woman was killed in a ‘love jihad’ case. #AltNewsFactCheck | @HereisKinjal https://t.co/QSnf90DqQi
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 14, 2020
A domestic violence incident from Bangladesh was circulated with identical false claims.
Photos of a woman injured in domestic violence in Bangladesh were shared with a ‘love Jihad’ spin. While the couple hailed from the Muslim community, false claims suggested that the woman was a Hindu from Kerala. #AltNewsFactCheck | @HereisKinjal https://t.co/jOv1tYo54f
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 28, 2020
A gruesome video of a woman hacked to death in Brazil also found its way to Indian social media.
A gory video from Brazil, which was earlier viral as India, is now circulating with a ‘love Jihad’ angle. The video shows a woman brutally hacked to death with an axe. #AltNewsFactCheck | @Pooja_Chaudhuri https://t.co/IcUgPPOMhV
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 12, 2020
The disinformation campaign on social media with anti-Muslim policies of the ruling party caused Hindu groups to film minors at a birthday party in MP’s Bhopal. They alluded that the Hindu girls at the party were being converted by the Muslim children.
Right-wing groups Sanskriti Bachao Manch and Bajrang Dal gave birthday celebrations at a Bhopal hotel a false communal shade. Minors at the party were harassed and their videos made viral with bogus ‘love Jihad’ claim. #AltNewsFactCheck | @ArchitMeta https://t.co/eaMLaJzC4H
— Alt News (@AltNews) September 7, 2020
The year 2020 was marked by propaganda against minority communities — Muslims during anti-CAA protests and Sikhs during farmers’ protest. But the promotion of anti-Muslim narrative was unparalleled. The community was blamed for the spread of COVID-19 and the ‘news’ aired by mainstream media during the peak months of the pandemic only amplified the hate-filled narrative. As the year has come to end with farmers’ protest ongoing in the national capital and the West Bengal elections around the corner, the disinformation machinery is expected to remain busy.
Pooja Chaudhuri is a senior editor at Alt News.
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