WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around Sabarimala Prasadam & Gadchiroli Encounter

From photos of payasam jar labelled 'Al Zahaa' to encounter with Naxals in Gadchiroli by Maharashtra Police.

From photos of a jar of payasam labelled 'Al Zahaa' being shared to claim that the contract for preparing and selling temple offerings at Kerala's Sabarimala temple was awarded to a Muslim-owned company to an video being shared as commandos being welcomed after a recent encounter with Naxals in Gadchiroli by Maharashtra police, here's what misled the public this week.

1. No, UAE's 'Al Zahaa' Isn't Manufacturing Aravana Prasadam For Sabarimala Temple

A photo of a jar of Aravana payasam sold by 'Al Zahaa Sweets' was shared across social media, where users claimed that the tender for preparing and selling temple offerings for Kerala's Sabarimala temple was awarded to a Muslim-owned company and carried a 'Halal' label.

However, we spoke to the Travancore Devaswom Board as well as Al Zahaa Sweets, a store in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. Both parties rubbished the claim and the shop added that they did not export their products outside UAE.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Old Video Falsely Linked to Recent Encounter With Naxals in Gadchiroli

A video of C-60 commandos being welcomed is being shared on social media to claim that it's related to the recent encounter in Gadchiroli with Maharashtra police on Saturday, 13 November, where 26 naxals, including top Maoist leader Milind Teltumbde were killed.

But we found similar visuals in a report on another encounter in Gadchiroli uploaded by media outlet ETV Bharat on 22 May, 2021.

The Quint also reached out to Ankit Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, who confirmed that the viral video is an old one.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. That Tweet Lauding Kangana Ranaut is by an Impostor Account, Not Raj Thackeray

A screenshot of a tweet purportedly shared by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray, in which he lauds Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for being a 'brave' woman while putting down Kareena Kapoor Khan went viral across social media.

Several social media users agreed with the tweet's contents and shared the screenshot, believing it to be a real tweet by Thackeray.

On carefully observing the viral photo, Team WebQoof found that the tweet was from a now-deleted fake account, which was impersonating the MNS leader. We noticed that Thackeray's last name was misspelled and that the account was not a verified one.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. Old Clip of Aus Man Raising ‘Bharat Mata’ Slogans Shared After Pak’s T20 Loss

A short clip showing a man dressed in the Australian cricket team's jersey while raising chants of "Vande Mataram" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" are being widely shared across social media platforms.

Users have shared the video to claim that it shows an Australian fan raising the slogans after defeating Pakistan's cricket team by 5 wickets at the ICC T20 World Cup held in Dubai.

However, The Quint found that the clip was old and could be traced back to January 2021, when India played a test series against Australia and won. The fan raised slogans on day 5 of the test series, which was played at The Gabba stadium in Australia's Brisbane.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. BJP Leaders Share Clipped Video of Rashid Alvi's Speech To Criticise Congress

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders like Amit Malviya and Arun Yadav shared a short clip of Congress leader Rashid Alvi speaking at an event, where he is heard equating those who chant "Jai Shri Ram" with demons.

The clip was shared claiming that it showed how much "poison is mixed in Congress' thoughts towards devotees of Ram."

Team Webqoof observed the full video of the leader's address at the Kalki Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh, and found that the video was clipped and shared out of context.

In the full video, Alvi is heard narrating a tale from Ramayana wherein an apsara tells Lord Hanuman that the person chanting "Jai Shree Ram" in front of him is not a seer, but is a demon. Alvi later issued a clarification and said that his video was being misconstrued and taken out of context.

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.)