With a busy election year ahead, social media platforms have started seeing misinformation surrounding polling dates and EVMs, while claims surrounding the violence in Mumbai's Mira Road continue to be shared.
Here is our recap of five of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.
1. Fact-Check: No, BJP Hasn't Launched a Phone Number To Show Support for UCC
A post which encourages Hindus to give a missed call on a phone number (9090902024) to express their support for the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), has gone viral on social media.
It claims that four crore people from the Muslim community and two crore Christians have voted against UCC.
However, there is no truth to the viral claim.
The phone number has no relation to the UCC.
It was released by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of their 'Jan Sampark Se Jan Samarthan' campaign in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
Read the fact-check here.
2. Over 300 EVMs Captured Inside a Shop in Uttar Pradesh's Chandauli? A Fact-Check
A video of several people transporting Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is being shared on the internet as a recent incident from Uttar Pradesh, claiming that 300 EVMs were caught in a shop in Chandauli.
The video is from Chandauli, but it is not a recent incident. it could be traced back to 2019.
According to the local administration and the Election Commission of India, the video shows voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) being transported in the presence of political parties' representatives during 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
You can read our fact-check here.
3. Unrelated Visuals of Police Beating Men Falsely Linked to Mira Road Violence
A set of videos, one showing people behind bars and the other of police personnel beating a group of men with sticks, is being shared on social media.
Users are linking the video to the recent violence in Mumbai's Mira Road, which broke out after the consecration of the idol at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
You can view an archive of the post here.
(Source: X (formerly Twitter)/Screenshot)
Neither is the video recent nor is it related to the violence in Mira Road. The videos could be traced back to at least 2022 and is reportedly from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Read our fact-check here.
4. False Claims About Virat Kohli's Mother Suffering With Liver Issues Go Viral
After cricketer Virat Kohli withdrew from the India-England test series citing 'personal reasons', posts claiming that his mother was seriously ill went viral on social media.
An archive can be seen here.
(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)
However, Virat Kohli's brother Vikas clarified that their mother is doing well and this viral claim is false.
You can read our fact-check here.
5. Fact-Check: Polling for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections To Start on 16 April? No!
Social media users shared a photo of a letter by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, claiming that the body had announced 16 April as the polling date for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
An archived version of this post can be accessed here.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
The claim is false. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced polling dates for any elections in 2024 yet.
The letter clearly states that the date '16.04.2024' is "tentative" and is given "for the purpose of reference" for Election Planners to plan polling dates accordingly.
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 webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
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