A photo of a woman holding such a poster as part of a rally is being circulated on social media. The text on the poster says: “HATHRAS IS NO LONGER! NO VOTE TO VOTE BJP! #NoVoteToBJP ”. India Today’s AFWA investigates the truth.
The image goes viral on social media.
With the election in West Bengal, which is just a few days past, both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress are engaged in a bitter grass war in a state where the lotus has been blooming lately. The tragic incident in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, where a girl’s father was killed by her alleged molester, also provided ammunition to the Opposition to beat the BJP.
Amid this high-tension campaign, several activists have launched a “No Vote To BJP” campaign in Kolkata. A photo of a woman holding such a poster as part of a rally is being circulated on social media. The text on the poster says: “HATHRAS IS NO LONGER! NO VOTE TO VOTE BJP! #NoVoteToBJP ”.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the image has changed. The original picture has nothing to do with the upcoming election in Bengal and was taken in 2018 during a rally against the Trinamool Congress to protest attacks on journalists.
Several Facebook users shared this photo. The archived versions can be seen here and here.
AFWA investigation
Using a reverse image search, we found the original image on the website of ‘Alamy’, dated 11 April 2018. Here is the caption: ‘A woman who saw a poster holding up during the protest. Hundreds of journalists protested against the alleged attack on the ruling party on journalists across Bengal during the coverage of the Panchayat nomination. The rally started at Mayo Road Mahatma Gandhi statue and ended at the Dorina Crossing in Kolkata. Hundreds of journalists, cameramen and photojournalists from the city took part in the protest march, with black bands on their arms and their mouths covered with black scarves. ”
In the original picture, the poster held by the woman reads: ‘Close camera’.
We also found a “National Herald” news article in which a photo of the same woman with “Shut Camera” was written on her poster.
It is therefore clear that the viral picture has changed and is not linked to the “No vote for BJP” campaign in Bengal. The photo is three years old and the woman was part of a rally against the Trinamool Congress to protest protesters at journalists.
(Input by Sonali Khatta)
ClaimThe image shows a woman holding a ‘No Vote To BJP’ poster in the run-up to the elections in West Bengal.ClosureThe picture is changed. In the original picture, the text is on the poster “Close camera”. The photo was taken in 2018 when journalists were protesting against the Trinamool Congress.
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
