WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Around Rs 2,000 Notes, Karnataka Polls & More

WebQoof recap: Check out these five pieces of misinformation that went viral this week.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

From misleading claims around Food delivery company Zomato's joke about Rs 2,000 note to a clipped video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the 49th G7 Summit shared with a misleading claim, here's a recap of some of the pieces of misinformation that went viral on social media this week. 

1. Fact-Check: Media Organisations Fall For Zomato’s 'Joke' on Rs 2,000 Notes

Food delivery company Zomato shared a photo of a man wearing their company's t-shirt and lying on a pile of Rs 2,000 notes on their official Twitter handle. The post's caption said, "Since Friday, 72% of our cash on delivery orders were paid in ₹2000 notes."

Several news organisations such as Times of India, India Today, Hindustan Times, English Jagran, NDTV, Mint, Business Today, Economic Times, and India.com.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced the withdrawal of Rs 2000 notes from circulation. However, it will continue to be a legal tender.

However, a Zomato spokesperson confirmed to The Quint that the post was shared as a joke and not based on facts.

You can read our story here.

2. Man Attacking Electricity Official in Karnataka Viral With Misleading Claim

A video showing a man slapping an electricity department official and hurling abuses at him is going viral on social media.

The viral claims say the man attacked the official because of the promises made by the Congress party on free electricity in Karnataka during their election campaign.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

The police told us that the man, Chandrashekar Hirematha of Koppal district of Karnataka, was attacking the electricity department official after he was asked to pay the pending electricity bill for six months.

• The claim linking the incident to the Congress' promise about free electricity is misleading.

• Hirematha was later arrested by Munirabad police.

You can read our story here.

3. Was PM Modi Ignored At G7 Summit In Japan? No, The Video Is Clipped!

A video showing several leaders at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan posing for a photograph and then interacting with each other while Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands alone is going viral on social media.

Several social media users are sharing the video to claim that Modi is being 'ignored' by the leaders.

Was PM Modi really ignored?: No, this is a clipped video.

• The extended clip and images from the G7 Summit, held in Hiroshima, shows French President Emmanuel Macron and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida interacting with Modi before and after taking a group picture.

You can read our story here.

4. Does This Video Show Muslim Men Killing Female RSS Supporter in Kerala? No!

A video which shows several men dragging a woman out of her car and then shooting her in public is being widely shared on social media platforms.

Those sharing the video claimed that the woman was a supporter of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was killed by people from the Muslim community in Kerala. It also said that the killers delivered a speech.

The video is old and shows a street play.

(Source: The Quint)

However, we found that neither is the video recent nor is it from a real incident.

• It dates back to September 2017 and shows a street play based on the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

• The play was performed by members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Kerala's Kalikavu.

You can read our story here.

5. Fact-Check: Old, Unrelated Video Shared as Factory Blasts in West Bengal

A video which shows an explosion in an open field is being shared with a claim that it shows visuals from the recent blast that happened in a factory in West Bengal’s East Medinipur.

People have shared the video with a caption, that when translated from Hindi to English using Google Translate, said, “Look at West Bengal sitting on a powder keg. This scene of East Medinipur is horrifying. Mamta has no control over the state. There is no idea of law and order. Jungle Raj remains.”

An archive of the post can be seen here.

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

But we found that neither the video is recent nor related to the recent blast in West Bengal. It could be traced back at least March 2022 and reportedly shows the visuals of the Pooram festival in Kerala.

You can read our story here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, 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.)