Video From Ujjain Shared as One From Karnataka With A False Communal Angle

This fight was between two groups over a statue in Madhya Pradesh and not Karnataka.

Fact-Check: This video is being falsely shared as one from Karnataka with a communal spin.

(Source: The Quint) 

A video showing a statue being knocked down by a tractor went viral on social media with a communal message. Users claimed that this event took place in Karnataka.

What happened in the video?: In the clip, a tractor is shown destroying the statue. More people are seen assaulting the statue using sticks and stones. Towards the end, a man states a provocative communal comment.

An archive of the post can be found here.

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is this true?: The claim is false.

• This is not an incident from Karnataka but from Makdone in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. In January, there was a dispute between two groups over the placement of the statues of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. After this, one party broke the statue of Patel.

What we found: We divided the video into multiple screenshots and ran a Google reverse image search on some of them.

• We came across two reports by TV9 Madhya Pradesh and Aaj Tak from 25 January which had similar visuals as the viral video.

Here are the similarities between the two.

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

• These reports stated the dispute took place between the Patidar community and the Bhim Army in Makdone, MP over the placement of statues.

• The Bhim Army wanted to install the statue of Ambedkar, whereas the Patidar community had been demanding to install the statue of Sardar Patel. This led to a heated confrontation between the two groups.

• People from one side toppled the Patel statue by using a tractor and then, vandalised the statue. Both sides pelted stones, used sticks and the angry mob also vandalised several vehicles.

• NDTV MP-Chhattisgarh reported that the matter was resolved after three days and it was decided in the meeting that statues of Ambedkar will be installed at Ambedkar Bus Stand and Sardar Patel at Mandi Chowk in Makdone.

• The report also stated that the police had filed cases against 72 people from both sides and 19 were arrested.

• We also found a byte by the Assistant Superintendent of Police Guru Prasad Parashar of Ujjain on the news agency Asian News International (ANI) X page from 25 January who stated that a sub-inspector was injured in the incident and the Makdone police station in-charge was suspended due to negligence.

Conclusion: The video from MP is being shared as one from Karnataka with a false communal spin.

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