Fact Check: Old video of attack on BJP leader in Tamil Nadu shared as recent
The claim is misleading as it shows a fight between two factions within the BJP, in Chennai’s Nanganallur in 2023.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 16 April 2024 11:27 AM GMT
Screengrabs of the post making the misleading claim.
Claim: BJP functionary Rajesh Biju was brutally attacked in front of his house recently by unidentified persons.
Fact: The incident is from 2023 and is related to an in-house dispute between the two members of the BJP.
Hyderabad: A video (Archive) is circulating on social media in which two men were seen assaulting another person wearing a green shirt on a busy road. Those sharing the video claimed that the person being attacked was BJP IT & Social Media Cell District secretary Rajesh Biju, who was brutally attacked in front of his house recently.
“Tamil Nadu: BJP IT & Social Media Cell District Secretary* Rajesh Biju was brutally thrashed last evening in front of his house. Rajesh is undergoing treatment in Sri Chakra Hospital, Nanganallur, Chennai East. ” wrote an X user who shared the video.
Several X users shared the video amplifying the claim. Click here to view another archived version.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading as it shows a fight between two factions within the BJP, in Chennai’s Nanganallur in 2023.
The official X handle of Greater Chennai police (Archive), replying to users sharing the video, clarified that the incident occurred on July 31, 2023, in Nanganallur. It also mentioned that the incident is related to a personal dispute between two factions of a political party.
We also found the X handle of Sun News (Archive) posted the video on August 1, 2023. The caption accompanying the post stated that the Chennai East District BJP general secretary SS Subbiah assaulted his party member Rajesh Biju.
According to a report of ETV Bharat from August 1, 2023, which carried the viral video, the incident happened after a video of Subbiah drinking liquor with his friends went viral. Subbiah accused Biju of circulating the video and assaulted him outside his house in Nanganallur.
Another Tamil media outlet Dinakaran, in a report published on August 1, 2023, said Biju was admitted to Government Hospital for treatment in Chromepet. It also mentioned that a case had been registered against Subbiah for assaulting his party member.
Hence, we conclude that the claim is misleading as the incident is from 2023 and is related to a dispute between the two members of the BJP.
