Fact Check: Old video of protest during KSU March in Kerala passed off as BJP stir against Rahul Gandhi
Claim: Dhotis of protesting BJP workers catch fire while burning the effigy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Finding: The incident in the viral video happened eight years ago during a KSU march at Pathanamthitta in Kerala.
Investigation: Newchecker first noticed that the flags of the protesters did not seem to be of the BJP, raising our doubts.
We then ran a reverse image search of keyframes of the video, which led us to a clearer version of the viral video on makeagif.com, apparently uploaded eight years ago, stating that it happened during a KSU march at Pathanamthitta in Kerala.
A relevant keyword search led us to this Asianet News report, dated July 5, 2012, stating that activists from the KSU (Kerala Students Union), the student wing of the Congress, were protesting against the vice-chancellor of MG University when the accident took place.
A mention of the incident was also found in this Times of India report, dated July 24, 2012, stating that a petition seeking a statewide ban on burning effigies was filed before the Kerala high court.
“The petitioner has also highlighted an incident that took place at Pathanamtitta on July 4. When a group of students were setting flame to an effigy as part of political protest at Pathanamthitta, a few of them suffered injuries as the effigy’s flames went out of control. The activists belonged to Kerala Students Union, while they were engaged in a bid to burn the effigy of the vice-chancellor of MG University. The students were protesting alleged corruption by the vice-chancellor. Those who suffered injuries included state and district presidents of KSU as well as a district executive member. They had to be admitted to a private hospital at Pathanamthitta following the incident,” read the report, which confirms the viral video is old and not related to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Disclaimer: This story was published first on Newschecker, republished after translation by Deccan Chronicle as part of Shakti Collective.