Man who said ‘We Want Mandir, Not Food’ hasn’t died of COVID

Two years ago, in a video by ScoopWhoop Unscripted, a man attending a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally to demand a bill for the construction of Ram Mandir, had said, “We want the mandir first. We don’t want roads, we don’t want food, we want mandir’. It has now been claimed that the man has died of the coronavirus. Twitter user Anil Chaturvedi wrote, “You must have recognised him. He was a blind follower of the useless PM. He used to say with crazed eyes, we don’t want hospitals. He has died due to lack of oxygen in Lucknow.”

इनको तो पहचानते होंगे।ये भी अंडभक्त था #निकम्मा_PM का।
आंखे फाड़ के कहता था हमें अस्पताल नही चाहिये ऑक्सीजन ना मिलने से लखनऊ में मौत हो गई। pic.twitter.com/076OPtkYwi

— Anil Chaturvedi (@anilpricha) May 17, 2021

Several people have shared the man’s picture on Twitter.

The one who was shouting with tears in his eyes, we don’t want a hospital, we want a temple. His death happened without oxygen in Lucknow.

दुःखद ह न #अन्धभक्तों देखो अभी भी टाइम है सुधर जाओ #ModiKaDisasterForIndia #निकम्मा_PM pic.twitter.com/yhp6rhK8Kw

— 𝖆𝖗𝖋𝖆𝖙 (@Iamarfat9) May 17, 2021

Punjabi artist Gurchet Chitarkar posted the claim on Facebook, drawing over 4,000 likes and more than 1,200 shares.

The screenshot below shows the extent to which the claim is widespread on Facebook.

False news; man himself clarifies he is alive

The man whose image is being shares is Jitendra Gupta from Delhi and he clarified that he is alive and well. Boomlive and Aaj Tak had earlier fact-checked the claim.

After the news of Jitendra Gupta’s death went viral, BJP Delhi leader Ravinder Singh Negi made a Facebook post where he said, “He is my dear friend Jeetu Gupta ji, a social worker in Patparganj Vidhan Sabha Delhi. He is absolutely healthy and is not suffering from any disease. He is at home.” Negi also said that a case will be registered against the person who spread the lie.

Alt News contacted Jitendra Gupta who informed, “Neither have I ever gone to Lucknow nor do I have COVID. I do not know who is spreading the claim. I have lodged an FIR against those who have shared the claim and the cyber cell will be taking action.”

Therefore, the social media claim that Gupta has passed away due to COVID is false.