Old video of ABVP-police clash in Gorakhpur varsity resurfaces with misleading claims

A video of a scuffle between some men donning saffron scarves and uniformed police personnel has surfaced on social media. It is being claimed that the video shows BJP workers clashing with the police in a recent event.

X page INC News (@TheIncNews) shared the clip on July 15 with a caption in Hindi which said: “These BJP goons are raising their hands on the uniformed police — if there was a Muslim in his place, what would have happened? Why isn’t the government filing NSA and sedition charges against him?? Why isn’t the loyal Godi media debating this?? Friends, retweet and show it to the whole country…” (Archive)

The tweet has received over 3.84 Lakh views and has been retweeted over 6,500 times.

ये BJP के गुंडे — वर्दीधारी पुलिस पर हाँथ उठा रहा है — अगर इसके स्थान पर कोई मुस्लिम होता तो क्या होता ?

इस पर सरकार NSA और राजद्रोह का केस क्यों नहीं कर रही ??

पालतू गोदी मीडिया इसपर डिबेट्स क्यों नहीं कर रही है ??

दोस्तों RT करके पुरे देश को दिखाओ #ABVP_शर्मकरो #UPSCscam… pic.twitter.com/RNvlEYbiMI

— INC News (@TheIncNews) July 15, 2024

X page Samajwadi Prahari (@SP_Prahari), which is affiliated to the Samajwadi Party, also shared the viral clip with the same caption. (Archive)

ये BJP के गुंडे — वर्दीधारी पुलिस पर हाँथ उठा रहा है — अगर इसके स्थान पर कोई मुस्लिम होता तो क्या होता ?

इस पर सरकार NSA और राजद्रोह का केस क्यों नहीं कर रही ??

पालतू गोदी मीडिया इसपर डिबेट्स क्यों नहीं कर रही है ??
pic.twitter.com/LV3j64hOIv

— Samajwadi Prahari (@SP_Prahari) July 16, 2024

Several other users shared the viral video with similar captions.

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Fact Check

After breaking down the video clip into multiple key frames, we ran a reverse image search on a few of them. This led us to a news report by The Siasat Daily which carried a screengrab from the viral video. The report, which was published on July 22, 2023, said that several members of the ABVP had been arrested for allegedly attacking the vice-chancellor and other officials of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay University in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

The report further mentioned that the students affiliated with the ABVP, who had been protesting against some irregularities in the institution, were enraged when the university’s senior official did not meet them.

We also found a tweet by journalist Piyush Rai from July 21, 2023, which contained a video which included the viral clip. The tweet said that the ABVP workers had been protesting against fee hikes and other matters at the university. At the beginning of the video, one can see a man surrounded by police walking out. ABVP members walk towards him and the securitymen attempt to stop them, which results in a scuffle.

Members of BJP’s youth wing ABVP protesting against fee hike and other demands at UP’s Gorakhpur University confronted the VC Prof Rajesh Singh who was moving around with cops in security. A scuffle followed with ABVP members and cops exchanging fist blows. pic.twitter.com/YgJh5rDzsR

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 21, 2023

Rai also tweeted that the university had registered a complaint and based on that an FIR was registered against eight students and 14 others.

Based on the complaint of a university official, an FIR has been registered against 8 students and 14 outsiders. pic.twitter.com/gfyUlCj2k4

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 22, 2023

Hence, from the above findings, it is clear that the video is not recent, it is from 2023 and while it does show ABVP workers clashing with the police, it is being shared sans context.