Fact Check: Video of scuffle during a BJP roadshow is from Odisha 2023, not Tamil Nadu 2024
The claim is misleading as the video shows a scuffle among BJP leaders during a roadshow in Odisha in 2023.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 30 March 2024 11:44 AM GMT
Screengrabs from the post making the false claim.
Claim: BJP leaders were assaulted by the public while campaigning in Tamil Nadu.
Fact: The claim is misleading as the video shows a scuffle among BJP leaders during a roadshow in Odisha in 2023.
Hyderabad: With the Lok Sabha elections in three weeks, misinformation about elections has been rising. A video showing a scuffle breaking out during a BJP roadshow is doing rounds. The captions accompanying the posts claim that the BJP leaders were beaten up while on the campaign trail in Tamil Nadu.
“This has just happened in Tamil Nadu. The public is taking down the BJP leaders from their luxurious chariots and wiping out their hands…” wrote an X user who shared the video. (Archive)
Several X users shared the video claiming the same. Click here, here and here to view the archived versions.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading as the video shows a scuffle among BJP leaders during a roadshow in Odisha in 2023.
While skimming through the comments on the post, we found a user saying that the video is from Odisha. (Archive)
With this cue, we ran a relevant keyword search, which led to a report by Odisha Bytes (Archive) from October 9, 2023, titled ‘Odisha: Two BJP Leaders Scuffle During State President’s Rally In Balangir.’ It carried a cover image with a visual from the viral video.
According to the report, the scuffle broke out during the BJP’s state president, Rammohan Samal rally in Odisha’s Balangir district. While the rally was passing through RTO Chhak, BJP’s district leaders Anant Das and his associate Balaram Sing Yadav went to present a bouquet to Samal. But were opposed by another local leader Gopalji Panigrahi, which led to the scuffle.
We also found an identical cover image in another report on Odisha Reporter (Archive) from October 9, 2023. It said Gopalji stopped Anant Das when he attempted to get into the jeep and present flowers to Rammohan Samal which led to the scuffle between the two and their supporters.
We also found the incident also reported by Odisha TV on October 9, 2023, titled ‘BJP leaders scuffle during state unit president’s Bolangir rally.’ The viral clip in this report appears at the 1:23-minute mark.
Hence, we conclude that the viral clip showing a scuffle at a BJP rally occurred in Odisha in 2023. The claim that the video is from Tamil Nadu is misleading.
