Fact Check: Video showing money collected in mosque is from Bangladesh, not India
NewsMeter found that the video is from Bangladesh.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 8 Jun 2023 10:45 AM GMT
Screenshot of the video tweeted by the handle @Matru_Bhoomi
Hyderabad: A video showing money in plastic bags being counted by kids wearing skull caps has gone viral. Those sharing the video claim that the video is from India, and the money collected in mosques is not taxed, whereas the money collected in temples is taxed. They have also claimed that the government uses this money to provide salaries and pensions to Muslim clerics and is used to fund jihad and terrorist activities.
(Source: Twitter/@Matru_Bhoomi)
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Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the video is from Bangladesh. We noticed that the notes seen in the video are not Indian. We also noticed Bangla text on notes and plastic bags. Taking these cues, we performed a reverse image search of the videoās keyframe with keywords and found video reports showing the same frames published by Bangladesh-based news outlets Jago News24 and Jamuna TV.
As per the captions, the video is from Pagla Masjid in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, where money from the mosqueās donation box is being counted.
We also came across a report by The Bussines Standard from January 7, 2023. The report said Pagla mosque is one of the most profitable religious institutions in Bangladesh. The mosque opens its donation boxes every three months, and the funds are spent on the upkeep of various mosques, including the Pagla mosque, madrasas, orphanages and for social welfare initiatives.
What about taxes imposed on temples and not mosques?
This claim was also viral in 2017. In a series of tweets, the Ministry of Finance said that the claim that the temple trusts have to pay the GST and that mosques and churches are exempt is untrue. There is no distinction in the GST law on any provision based on religion.
Hence, it is evident that the viral video is from Bangladesh, not India, and also the claim that taxes are imposed on temples but not on mosques is false.
