No, Jagan Mohan Reddy has not embraced Hinduism

“Jagan Reddy is reconverted to Hinduism by Swarupanamda Saraswati. The Swami fixed the date of his swearing-in ceremony on May 30th.”.

The above message was posted by an individual Facebook user on May 25, with a video of YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. It is being claimed that Reddy, who is a Christian by birth, has converted to Hinduism. Many other social media users on Facebook and WhatsApp have shared the video with an identical claim. “*Breaking news: Jagan Mohan Reddy converts from Christianity to Hinduism.* “, posted umpteen users with the same video.

Facebook page – Bajrangi Dal Kolkata – has posted images, related to the same event, reiterating the claim, along with several other individuals.

Fact-check

Alt News found that the narrative circulated with the video of Jagan Mohan Reddy is false. It is an old video from August 2016. Jagan Mohan Reddy had performed ‘Homam’, a Hindu ritual, in Rishikesh for securing special category status for the state.

The images, which are shared by social media users, are related to the same event and were uploaded on a website on October 31, 2016. In the collage below, the images that are circulated on social media have been highlighted.

Moreover, in an interview in April 2019, with CNN-News18, Mr Reddy reiterated his faith while responding to a question about his stand on his party engaging with the Congress party. He said, “I believe in God and I do read the Bible every day”.

#EXCLUSIVE — I have forgiven the Congress (@INCIndia) in my heart. I have no grievance or vengeance against anybody: @ysjagan tells CNN-News18’s @maryashakil #JaganToNews18 | #BattleOf2019 #ElectionsWithNews18 pic.twitter.com/L4RlvpAWkj

— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 5, 2019

An old and unrelated video of Jagan Mohan Reddy performing a Hindu ritual was shared with a false narrative that he has converted to Hinduism.