Martyrs Day is observed on March 23 every year, in remembrance of legendary freedom fighters– Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. This year as well, it was celebrated with pride and honour. But in its backdrop, a post is being circulated on social media.
In a widely shared post on social media, it is being claimed that BJP leader and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, while observing Martyr’s Day this year, wrongly labelled Bhagat Singh’s photo as Sukhdev.
The post can be seen here and here and the caption in Punjabi reads, “Calling himself a “nationalist” and calling others “traitors”, the “basic” leader of the BJP / RSS is pretending to pay “tribute” to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. But the fact is that they don’t even recognize the photo of Shaheed “S. Bhagat Singh”? The photo in the middle is of “Bhagat Singh” and the name written on the photo is “Sukhdev”? Send as much woe to these “dramatists” as possible.”
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the post and found it misleading. On putting the photo through Reverse Image Search, we found that the incident is from 2016.
We found a report by Deccan Chronicle published in 2016, which says, “In a major embarrassment for the Maharashtra government on Shaheed Day (Martyrs’ Day, March 23), Bhagat Singh’s photo in traditional attire of pagdi (turban) and beard was labelled Sukhdev. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and three officials paid tribute to the photo in an official programme. The government did not realise the mistake and also sent the wrong photos as an official press release on the same day. Condemning the act, social activists have demanded an apology from the CM and immediate suspension of the officials for the goof-up.”
Other media organizations also reported the same (in 2016). All the reports that we were able to find were from 2016 and not from now. We also found several social media posts from 2016 which said the same.
Not many people know this but Bhagat Singh ji played double role in India’s Independence Movement. pic.twitter.com/3LC2041lNT
— MANJUL (@MANJULtoons) March 24, 2016
Thereby, with the above information, it can be said that the claim in the post refers to a true incident, it however had happened 5 years back and not this year. It is being wrongly shared as a recent incident, hence it is misleading users on social media.
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