“राजस्थान बांदीकुई दौसा से बीजेपी प्रत्याशी रामकिशोर सैनी की जोरदार कुटाई”जो जनता परेशान होकर कुटाई करने पर उतर आई है जरा सोचिए वोटिंग वाले दिन क्या करने वाली है। (BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini from Bandikui, Dausa was thrashed severely. If the upset public has resorted to violence, just think what will happen on election day -translated)”

A video purportedly of a BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini being thrashed by a group is circulating widely on social media. A Facebook user, Shahid Hussain has shared the video with the aforementioned text. This post has been shared close to 6100 times and viewed in excess of 70,000 times already. Several social media users have shared the same video with the identical narrative.

In the video, amidst a noisy quarrel suddenly a fight breaks out where a man is severely beaten up by the group of people gathered at the spot.

Late Congress worker, NOT BJP candidate

India Today had reported that the man thrashed in the video is not BJP candidate Ramkishore Saini but a late Congress worker, Vishwanath Saini from Bandikui in Dausa district of Rajasthan.

According to the report, Vishwanath Saini passed away four days ago, on November 26 and the video is of a scuffle between the Congress party workers and Saini that took place in 2015 at Hotel Rawat Palace, Dausa.

Speaking to India Today, Ramkishore had said that the claim is completely false.

Videos placed out of context and circulated widely on social media is a common practice, which repeats itself ahead of elections. Last December, a six year old video was circulated with a claim that SP leader Kamal Akhtar was thrashed by UP Police. Earlier this month, an old video of Ex BJP MLA was circulated as Congress MLA praising demonetisation.

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About the Author

Jignesh is a writer and researcher at Alt News. He has a knack for visual investigation with a major interest in fact-checking videos and images. He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Gujarat University.