Viral Video: Indian muslims burning the National flag and raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans in Punjab is fake news

“Punjab…Some Indian muslims gathered in support of Rohingya muslims…burnt our National Flag raising slogans hay hay Bharath… and Pakistan zindabad in the middle of the road and in the presence of so many policemen…no policeman could stop them. But a single Sikh gentleman with his sword ran towards them like a Tiger…and see the effect on those anti-national and cowardly crowd.” A video with the aforestated text is currently viral on social media and WhatsApp.

The viral video can be seen here:

In reality, neither was the National flag being burnt, nor did anyone raise “Haay Haay Bharat” or “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans, nor was the mob comprised of Muslims. The only slogans that can be heard in the video are “Atankwaad Haay Haay”.

This issue was first reported by a website called Sikh Siyasat who describe themselves as a Punjab based Sikh News Network. Sikh Siyasant claimed that certain Hindutva activists who were burning an effigy fleed the scene after the local Sikh population got enraged. A longer version of the video that is currently viral was first posted by Sharnit Singh Rataul on his Facebook profile on June 6th, 2017, and can be seen below.

Another Sikh News site called Babushahi which published a related story on June 7th claimed that members of Shiv Sena were burning an effigy of the militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on the 33rd anniversary of Operation Blue Star. The Shiv Sainiks fleed when a man called Paramjit Singh charged at them.

On June 12th, a related report in Hindustan Times stated, “Right-wing leader Sudhir Kumar Suri, who burnt effigy of slain militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar, was arrested by police on Sunday for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.”

As it can be seen, none of the claims in the viral video are factual. SMHoaxSlayer was the first to debunk this hoax. This is yet another instance where a fake video has been used to paint the minorities of the country as ‘anti-national’. Alt News has covered many such fake videos in the past such as an old video from Guatemala in Central America which was passed off as Indian Muslims burning a Marwadi woman for not wearing a Burkha or a video from Bangladesh which was passed off as a Hindu being killed by Muslims in Nawada, Bihar or fake videos of Indian Muslims celebrating Pakistan’s win over India in Champion’s trophy.

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