WebQoof Recap: Of Disinformation Around Karnataka Hijab Row & SRK Offering Dua

From misinformation around Karnataka Hijab row to Shah Rukh Khan spitting on the mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar.

From claims stating that the national flag was replaced by a saffron flag at a college in Karnataka amid the hijab-saffron scarf row to misidentifying the girl who stood up to the saffron-clad boys in Mandya, here's what misled the public this week.

1. No, National Flag Wasn't Removed To Hoist Saffron Flag in Shimoga College

Amid the hijab-saffron stole controversy in Karnataka, a video of a boy climbing a pole and hoisting a saffron flag at a government college in Karnataka's Shimoga district was widely circulated claiming that the boy had removed the national flag to hoist the saffron flag.

Several people, including Congress' DK Shivakumar had shared the video along with the same claim.

However, we found that while it is true that the boy hoisted a saffron flag, it was done on an empty pole and not by removing the national flag.

Speaking to The Quint, Dhananjay BR, principal of the Government First Grade College, Bapuji Nagar said that the flag pole was empty and some people had hoisted the saffron flag later.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. JD(S) Member's Photos Shared as Muskan, the Burqa-Clad Girl Who Confronted a Mob

Multiple photos comparing two girls has gone viral to claim that Bibi Muskan Khan, the girl who stood up to a mob of saffron-clad boys chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in Karnataka's Mandya, generally wears western clothes and wore a burqa only for 'propaganda' purposes.

However, we found different pictures were juxtaposed to make the false claim. While the first photo is that of Khan from the incident day on 8 February from the college, the other photos are that of Najma Nazeer Chikkanerale, a member of Janata Dal (Secular) Karnataka.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Shah Rukh Khan Was Offering 'Dua', Not Spitting at Lata Mangeshkar's Funeral

Following the death of Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday, 6 February, a video of Shah Rukh Khan blowing air into the wind after offering a 'dua' (prayer) has gone viral with a claim that the actor spat on the veteran singer's mortal remains while attending her funeral.

Several social media users shared the video along with the hashtag 'Thook Jihad', thereby giving it a communal tone.

However, The Quint spoke to several Islamic scholars who explained that blowing into the wind after offering dua is a well-known and documented Islamic ritual, which is done to ensure that the prayer reaches the person it is intended for and to ward off evil.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. No, This Girl Wasn't Injured in Stone-Pelting by a Muslim Mob in Karnataka

A video of a man carrying a school student in his hands, along with others who were running with him, is being shared on social media with a claim stating that a young Hindu girl was injured in stone-pelting by a Muslim mob in Karnataka.

The video was shared by Hindi news channel Sudarshan News that is notorious for peddling misinformation and communally charged information amid the Karnataka Hijab row.

We found that the video was from the Government Pre University College in Rabakavi Banahatti in Bagalkot district where stone-pelting incident was reported on Tuesday, 8 February.

However, the girl seen in the video was not a stone-pelting victim, as an eye-witness told The Quint. She was feeling unwell and fatigued, following which she had nearly collapsed and she was assisted out of the college.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. Video From Pakistan Falsely Shared as Taliban Banning Mobile Phones

A video showing men dressed in black uniform crushing hundreds of cell phones with their feet is being shared across social media platforms, claiming that it shows the Taliban doing so after imposing a ban on mobile phones in Afghanistan.

The claim further states that the radical Islamic group has introduced death penalty for those using cellphones.

However, we found that the video is from Pakistan and the country's customs officials can be seen destroying contraband seized at the border, which includes liquor, drugs, and cell phones.

Further, we didn't find any news reports of mobile phone ban in Afghanistan.

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 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.)