From misinformation around the diplomatic row between Canada and India over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar to an old video shared as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi hosting the G20 summit in 1983, here are the top five pieces of misinformation that went viral this week.
1. Misleading Reports on Canada's Travel Advisory to India Go Viral Amid Row
Amid the diplomatic row between India and Canada, social media users and media organisations like the Economic Times, Mirror Now and ANI shared screenshots of the Canadian government's travel advisory for its citizens travelling to India with a claim that the Canadian government updated its travel advisory over "terror risks".
The screenshot urged citizens to practice a “high degree of caution” while travelling to certain parts of the country.
This claim is false. The only recent change in the travel advisory relates to the health section, where portions related to COVID-19, Zika virus, monkeypox, and measles were updated.
Read our story here.
2. Fact-Check: Indira Gandhi Did Not Host G20 Summit in India in 1983!
A video showing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressing an audience and greeting former Cuban President Fidel Castro is being shared on social media. Those sharing the video have claimed that this clip is from a G20 Summit that was hosted in India 40 years ago.
However, we found that the clip is from the 7th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) that was hosted in Delhi between 7 to 12 March in 1983 under the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi. It shows outgoing chairman of NAM, former Cuban President, Fidel Castro passing the gavel to Gandhi.
Read our fact-check here.
3. Did Canada Ban the RSS Amid Diplomatic Row? No, Claim Is Misleading
A video of a man belonging to the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) calling for a ban of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) in Canada is going viral with a claim that the country has banned RSS.
This claim is misleading. The Canadian government has neither banned the RSS nor responded to this demand made by the NCCM.
Additionally, the NCCM is an independent body and not affiliated to the government of Canada.
Read our story here.
4. Video of ‘Robot Playing Badminton’ Match With Humans Is Al-Generated
This video has been created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) by a TikTok user by replacing a person playing badminton with a robot.
The actual video shows a badminton rally between a man playing opposite the two children.
Read our fact-check here.
5. GD Khosla Didn’t Write About Being ‘Pressured’ Into Giving Godse Death Sentence
A post about the death sentence given to Nathuram Godse, by then-Chief Justice of Punjab High Court, Justice GD Khosla, who presided over the case.
The post claims that in his book, Justice Khosla stated that he did not want to give him the death sentence.
Additionally, the claim states that he was “forced to do so under the pressure of the government and administration.”
This claim is false. Justice Khosla's book does not mention feeling pressured to pronounce death sentence for Godse.
While it entails Khosla's experience of feeling sympathy among the audience during the court proceedings, the original text only mentions letting Godse express his thoughts and the time of his execution.
Read our fact-check here.
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