WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around Rahul Gandhi, Hathras Stampede and More

From unrelated visuals being linked to the recent stampede in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, to false claims surrounding leaders' statements during the ongoing Parliament session, here are some of the most viral pieces of misinformation this week.

1. Did Rahul Gandhi Call Hindus 'Violent'? No, His Attack Was Against BJP, RSS

A video of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (LoP) and Congress' Rahul Gandhi went viral on the internet to claim that it showed him targeting the entire Hindu community.

What did he say?: In the 11-second-long clip, Gandhi could be heard saying in Hindi, "Those who call themselves Hindu keep talking about violence, hate, and falsehood 24 hours a day."

However, the video is clipped. A longer version showed Gandhi targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with his statements.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Fact-Check: Old Video From Rajasthan Falsely Linked To Recent Hathras Stampede

A video of a massive crowd is being shared on social media, where users are linking it to the recent stampede at a godman's event in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which claimed over 150 lives.

But...?: The video is at least four months old and was reportedly taken in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Rahul Gandhi or Rajnath Singh: Whose Claims on the Agnipath Scheme Are True?

During the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address on 1 July, the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi criticised the Central government's Agnipath scheme, stating that the government neither gave pension nor the status of a martyr to those serving under the scheme.

During this speech, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh alleged that Gandhi had presented incorrect information about the scheme. Singh claimed that Agniveers are given a compensation of one crore rupees upon martyrdom.

We found that both leaders made misleading claims related to Agnipath scheme.

• Rahul Gandhi correctly claimed that Agniveers do not get the status of martyrdom. However, it must be noted that deceased members of the Indian armed forces are not referred to as 'martyrs'.

• He was also right in saying that Agniveers do not get pension — the also do not get other facilities that ex-servicemen can avail, such as health schemes, gratuity benefits, canteens, and so on.

• We also learned that it is not that every martyred Agniveer gets one crore rupees, as Rajnath Singh claimed. Rahul Gandhi's claim that Agniveer does not get any compensation is also not completely true.

• You can read our fact-check here.

4. Misleading Claim Of 'Only Muslims Arrested' in NEET Paper Scam Goes Viral

A set of three images went viral online, to claim that these three Muslim men were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to the NEET-UG paper leak scam.

What's the truth?: The CBI indeed arrested these three mentioned in the claim but they have also arrested Hindus in relation to this case.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. This Video Doesn't Show Bangladeshis Reacting to SKY's Catch in T20 WC Final

A video showing several people cheering at first but then getting disappointed went viral online.

Those sharing the clip claimed that it shows people from Bangladesh reacting to Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav making a catch to dismiss South Africa's David Miller during the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup final match between India and South Africa on 29 June.

However, The caption with original Facebook post with the video stated that it shows people watching Bangladesh's match in which their country lost, on 10 June.

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 9540511818 , 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.)