A video is extensively circulating on social media, claiming that the Bangladeshi Muslims living in Assam are now demanding a separate state.
The post reads: असम में अवैध बांग्लादेशियो के एक समूह ने एक रैली निकालकर अलग देश की मांग की उन्होंने ‘आज़ादी’ के नारे भी लगाए असम पुलिस द्वारा उनका तत्काल उपचार किया गया बांग्लादेशी समूह के अधिकांश लोग अपने ‘आजादी नारे’ के साथ बिना सिर वाले मुर्गे की तरह वापस भाग गए। (English translation: A group of illegal Bangladeshis in Assam took out a rally demanding a separate country. They also raised ‘Azadi’ slogans. The Assam police immediately treated them. Most of the Bangladeshi group ran back like a headless chicken with their ‘freedom slogan’.)
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the post, and found it to be false.
Putting the video keyframes through Reverse Image Search, the NM team discovered the same video uploaded on YouTube in July 2017, titled: “ASSAM POLICE FIRING YAKUB ALI GOALPARA 30/06/2017(2).” The links can be seen here and here.
With a keyword search, we found a report by The Indian Express, dated June 30, 2017. According to the report, one person — identified as Yakub Ali — was killed when police opened fire on a protesting mob that turned violent in Goalpara district in lower Assam.
The same video was found in an article by Scroll. As per the article, Ali was part of “a protest against the alleged harassment of Muslims by the state by falsely accusing them of being illegal migrants, or ‘D voters’ as they call them in Khutamari”.
The longer version of the same video was uploaded by Hussain Ahmed Madani, who was also present at the location. The video was shared with a caption: “Heated situation in Gopalpara district. One person was killed and another was injured in a gunfight between the protesters and the police.”
Talking to The Wire, Hussain Madani said, “About hundred people raising slogans demanding inclusion of genuine citizens in the NRC were stopped close to Naranarayan setu (a bridge over river Brahmaputra) by the police, asking them for the permission letter to hold the protest. CRPF personnel were also present. The aim of the protesters was to block the National Highway 37, which connects Goalpara to the neighbouring Bongaingaon district (and thereafter to West Bengal). Though the protesters had applied for permission, it was not granted by the police.”
Who is a D-voter?
According to the official website of the Government of Assam, “Doubtful voters are those who are identified during electoral roll revision as ‘D’ Voters, cases of which are pending with the Foreigners Tribunals or as declared as foreigners by the Tribunal.” The ‘D’ voters can apply for the inclusion of their names in the updated NRC. However, a D voter’s name will only be included in NRC after getting clearance from the Foreigners Tribunals and on the removal of their names as D voter from the Electoral Roll, the website adds.
The above information proves that the viral video was taken in 2017 during a protest in Assam, and is being shared with false narratives.
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