A video in which a group of men can be seen demolishing a building is widely shared on social media claiming that it shows a temple in Andhra Pradesh is being demolished by Muslims.
The video is shared on Facebook with the caption, “यह है भारत और भारत का लोकतंत्र … जहाँ पर डरा हुआ भारत का मुसलमान हिन्दू मंदिरों को निडर होकर तोड़ रहा है .. आन्ध्रा गुंटूर मंदिर तोड़ते हुए सुवर प्रजाति के नमूने”
(English translation: This is India and the democracy of India… where the scared Indian Muslims are fearlessly destroying Hindu temples…Specimens of pig species demolishing the Andhra Guntur temple)
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the above claim and found it to be MISLEADING.
Using the InVid Tool, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and performed a Reverse Image Search with relevant keywords. This search directed us to a tweet by BJP National Secretary for Andaman and Nicobar, Y Satya Kumar, which carried the same viral video with the text, “The upper caste Ashraf Muslims in AP’s Guntur have demolished with full impunity the dargah revered by BC Nagoor Meera & Dudekula Pasmanda Muslims. I strongly condemn the act of snatching away the religious rights of BC Muslims & demand strict action against the perpetrators.”
The upper caste Ashraf Muslims in AP’s Guntur have demolished with full impunity the dargah revered by BC Nagoor Meera & Dudekula Pasmanda Muslims.
I strongly condemn the act of snatching away the religious rights of BC Muslims & demand strict action against the perpetrators. pic.twitter.com/Wx99dgGmWS
— Y. Satya Kumar (సత్యకుమార్) (@satyakumar_y) October 14, 2022
Taking a cue from this, we did a keyword search with “Guntur Demolition”. This directed us to a news report published by the New Indian Express on October 17, 2022. According to the report, “Some unidentified persons reportedly attempted to demolish Bhaji Bhasha Nishani Dargah in LR Nagar in Guntur. On October 12, a few persons tried to demolish the dargah using hammers when the locals intervened and stopped them. According to sources, people belonging to all communities have been offering prayers at the dargah for the past 40 years.” The report further quoted Lalapet police station circle inspector Prabhakar saying, “We have informed about the issue to revenue officials to check the land particulars and the rightful owner of the land. Until the issue is resolved, the dargah will be closed.”
Searching further, we found a news report by India Today that carried a screen grab similar to the viral video and stated, “Tensions prevailed for a brief period in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur after a dargah was demolished to construct a Mosque in the location. However, police officials say that the situation is now under control.”
Thus, it is evident from the above information that the video of a Dargah demolition in Andhra Pradesh is being shared with misleading claims.
If you want to fact-check any story, WhatsApp it now on +91 11 7127 979l9
Click here for Latest News updates and viral videos n our AI-powered smart news
