An image of two men in apparent RSS uniform–black cap, white shirt and brown knee-length trousers–is viral with the claim that they were among the individuals accused in the Manipur incident involving two Kuki women from May 4, a video of which has gone viral sending shock-waves across the country.
CPI(M) politburo member and former MP Subhasini Ali tweeted the image and wrote, “They are the Manipur accused. Recognise them by their clothes”. Two screenshots of the viral video have been imposed at the top to indicate the link between the viral image and the incident. (Archive)
User @thenisiraj also linked the image of the two men to the incident by placing it alongside a screenshot of a BBC Telugu article reporting the arrest of one of the accused in the case. The report contains the image of the man arrested in the case and a screengrab from the viral video. In the caption, the user called for banning the RSS. (Archive)
ஆர் எஸ் எஸ் டவுசர்ஸ் நாட்டின் அவமானகரமான இயக்கம். உடனே இதை தடை செய்ய வேண்டும்… pic.twitter.com/C6ii1HbKfz
— Theni Siraj (@thenisiraj) July 23, 2023
Verified user @profapm also tweeted the same viral claim. In his tweet, the viral image of the two men is placed alongside a screenshot of a news report about the arrest of the accused. (Archive)
नमसते सदा वत्सले मातृभूमे
मां की भूमि को छूकर नमन करने वाले गुबरैले pic.twitter.com/gmUfO20KbA
— prof dr Arun Prakash Mishra 🇺🇲 (@profapm) July 22, 2023
The official page of CPIM Telangana also posted the image on Facebook with the same claim. They wrote in Telugu, “#These two are the cultured men who made women walk naked in Manipur. This is the culture taught by RSS”. CPIM Vizag also shared the same image with the same claim on Facebook.
The image is also viral on social media in Malayalam with users claiming that one of the two men seen in the image was arrested.
Fact Check
We found that the man on the right in the viral image is actually the state vice-president of Manipur BJP, Chidananda Singh. Singh, who had attended a ‘Path Sanchalan’ event organized by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Imphal Jila with his son and cousin, posted the photo on Facebook in October 2022.
The accused who is being linked with the viral image was arrested from Thoubal district. He has been identified as Heradas (32). He is the one seen wearing a green t-shirt in the viral video.
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After the image had gone viral, Chidananda Singh took to Twitter to clarify that the photo being circulated was of him and his son. Quote-tweeting one of the viral claims, he wrote, “Shame Shame….I am Chidananda Singh here , U can’t get ur objectives to malign image of RSS n my family by using photo of myself n my son. I n my family never involved such heinous crime. What a foolish act”. The misleading tweet has since been deleted. Here is an archive.
Singh also wrote a letter to the director general of police, Manipur, requesting the authorities to initiate legal action against the administrators and members of some of the Facebook groups and Twitter accounts that had spread this misleading information. He mentioned some of the handles that amplified the viral claim. He wrote, “It is found that a photo which is taken out from the viral video is edited/ pasted to photos of myself Ch. Chidananda Singh and my son Ch. Sachinanda Singh which the RSS Ganavesh (Uniform) were wearing and alleging that we are involved in the incident. It is to mention that the joint photo of myself and my son was downloaded from my Facebook page”. An FIR was consequently registered in relation to the case.
Thanks a lot to @manipur_police, like minded friends, fact checking media groups/ individuals for your kind support. A FIR has been registered against those who spreads false propaganda to defame RSS n my family. Truth will prevail. pic.twitter.com/BckbnnaRkw
— Chidananda Singh (@ChChidananda) July 24, 2023
Manipur Police confirmed that a case had been registered with the Cyber Crime police station upon receiving a complaint from Singh.
A case is taken up at CCPS for spreading false news with intent to cause injury, damage to his reputation and create serious breach of law and order. Attempt is made to identify and arrest the culprits.
3/3
— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) July 23, 2023
Chidananda Singh also retweeted fact-checks of the viral claim.
Subhashini Ali later clarified that her claim was incorrect and apologised for it. In a tweet, she wrote, “I am extremely sorry that I retweeted a false tweet regarding 2 individuals who were being identified as the accused in the terrible Manipur case of extreme sexual violence against women. I apologize unconditionally for any embarrassment I caused quite unintentionally”.
Hence, an image of the Manipur state vice president of BJP and his son in RSS uniform is viral on social media with the claim that they were two of the individuals accused in the case involving parading two Kuki women naked and their sexual assault on May 4. The BJP leader took to Twitter to vehemently deny the viral claims and a case had been filed against the ones spreading the misinformation.
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