An image of a woman in a fairytale-like white dress, wings and bloodstains around her neck with a pair of kites hanging around her has gone viral on social media. She is said to be protesting against kite flying during Makar Sankranti.
Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival dedicated to the sun god and kite fly is a big part of the festivities.
Various Facebook and Twitter users have mailed the viral image along with a common twisted message in Hindi that translates into: ‘This woman plays the role of a bird injured during kite flying during Makar Sankranti. She must also play the role of a goat in Eid to give an example of common harmony. Please convey the message to the lady. ”
India Today Anti-Fake News War Room (AFWA) found the claim misleading. The viral picture comes from an NGO campaign held in Delhi in August 2017 for animal rights. The campaign was against the use of harmful kite wires (manjha) that sometimes kill birds. It has nothing to do with Makar Sankranti or any other religious festival.
The archived versions of the posts are saved here, here and here.
Truth behind the viral picture
In the viral image, there are two posters against the use of Manjha lying around the woman. On both the written posters are the words “Abhay Daanam”. We have found that it is an organization that advocates for the rights of animals.
Using keywords we found that there was some news reports published on various news portal in August 2017 on Abhay Daanam’s campaign against harmful kite wires.
India Today contacted Abhay Daanam and learned that it is a non-governmental organization that runs a charity and bird hospital. According to Puneet Kardam, the organization’s secretary, the viral image is part of their campaign. organized on August 4, 2017, before Independence Day in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.
‘Our campaign was made against the damaging effects of sharp kite strings with glass and metals that sometimes kill birds. They can also be fatal to humans. We are against the use of Manjha and not against kite flying, ”said Kardam. “Our campaign has never been against any religious event, it has nothing to do with Makar Sankranti,” he added.
Along with the viral picture, there are multiple other photos of the same campaign that can be found on Abhay Danaam Facebook page. These photos were also posted in 2017.
A photo of this campaign is also available in the photo gallery of Getty Images. The photo caption reads: “Volunteers from the Abhay Daanam Bird care shelter and veterinary hospital protest against the sale of ‘manja’, or kite wire, in New Delhi on 4 August 2017./AFP PHOTO / PRAKASH SINGH. ‘
There are several articles published on the harmful effects of Manjha on birds, as there are reports that hundreds of birds die annually for this reason.
However, this particular viral image has no link to any religious festival or event because it was only part of a campaign that was organized more than three years ago. The virus claim it links to Makar Sankranti is therefore misleading.
ClaimPictured is a woman depicting a bird injured by Makar Sankranti by the kites. ClosureThe photo comes from an NGO campaign held in Delhi for animal rights in August 2017. The campaign was against the use of harmful kite string (manjha) which sometimes kills birds. It has nothing to do with Makar Sankranti or any other religious festival.
JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE
The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.
- 1 Crow: Half true
- 2 crows: mostly lies
- 3 crows: absolutely false
