WebQoof Recap: Of Claims Surrounding Rahul Gandhi, Bangladesh Crisis and More

Read our recap to find out the top five pieces of misinformation that went viral this week.

Here's is a recap of some of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

From posts sharing misleading, communal claims related to the recent turmoil in Bangladesh to misinformation surrounding the Kolkata rape and murder case, here is a recap of the some of the 'fake news' that went viral this week.

1. No, Rahul Gandhi Did Not Call Kolkata Rape and Murder Case ‘Unimportant’

A video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaking to media personnel has gone viral on social media, claiming that he called the rape and murder case at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital 'unimportant'.

• In the video, Gandhi responds to a question about the Supreme Court asking doctors protesting the crime to end their strike, by saying that the reporter was creating distractions.

An archive of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the claim is misleading.

A longer version of the video does not show Gandhi calling the Kolkata case "unimportant," nor does he call the purpose of his visit "more important," as claimed.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Video Doesn't Show Hindu Prof Being Made to Resign & Recite Quran in Bangladesh

A video showing a man reciting an Islamic prayer inside a office of a professor while several people surround him is going viral online.

The claim states that it a Hindu professor was forced to recite Quran by Muslim students while they made him resign from his post in Dhaka University.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

The claim, however, added a false communal angle. This video shows Dr Abdul Bashir, the Dean of Dhaka University, who belongs to the Muslim community, being made to resign by students.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Edited Video Viral as Arvind Kejriwal Taking Dig at Uddhav Thackeray

A video showing Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal giving an interview where he said, "Uddhav Thackeray is his father's fake child" is being shared on social media platforms.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

Is this true?: No, the video is clipped.

In the full video, which shows an interview that Kejriwal gave to India TV in May 2024, Kejriwal mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called Thackeray ‘nakli santan.’

Read our fact-check here.

4. False Claims About India 'Buying' 28 Islands from The Maldives Goes Viral

Following Minister of External Affairs (MEA) S Jaishankar's visit to the Maldives, social media posts went claiming that India 'bought' 28 islands from the Maldivian government went viral.

However, the claim is misleading. The agreement is related to water & sanitation projects on 28 islands funded by the Exim Bank through the Indian Line of Credit Facility. The sanitation project is worth ₹923 crore in the Maldives.

Read our fact-check here.

5. Old Video of Boycott Campaign in Bangladesh Falsely Shared as Recent Clip

A video which shows a man walking around a market, asking shopkeepers to boycott goods made in India, has gone viral on social media platforms.

• Those sharing the video claim that it shows a recent video of people in Bangladesh doing so, after the formation of the new government headed by Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X (formerly Twitter)/Screenshot)

The claim is false.

The video dates back to February 2024, and shows a member of the Gana Adhikar Parishad party in Bangladesh requesting vendors to boycott Indian products during an 'India Out' campaign.

You can read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)