4 times fake news was used amid pandemic to instigate communal hatred: the Corona Jihad
How disappointing it is, using fake news to instigate hatred during a pandemic, read the instances here
We have entered the 9th month of the pandemic, where uncertainties are still there, the country is adapting to the new normal and getting back to how it was before lockdowns, gradually. Looking at the pre-covid days, and looking at the image of India, India was already fighting the communal and anti-muslim acts CAA-NRC-NPR, and we were definitely seeing the face of an Islamophobic India. And then the pandemic broke and we happen to see a nationwide lockdown which led to the building of fear among all – the fear of being touched, fear and consciousness for what we eat, drink and think.
Well, combining both the incidents, we can eventually see the pandemic with a communal angle. And with identification of Tablighi Jamaat community being COVID positive, it acted as fuel to fire, along with the following incidents of fake news amid the pandemic.
1. Old and unrelated video shared as ‘Muslims licking utensils to spread coronavirus infection’
A video where a group of men have been licking utensils and cutlery went floating on social media some time back which claims the intention of the community in spreading Coronavirus. The video was captioned as follows –
“14 China Muslims hidden at Bihari mosque has been taken to coronavirus test by Bihari police. Erode police has caught Thailand Muslim mullahs infected with the coronavirus. Today Salem Police has caught 11 Indonesian Muslim mullahs at Salem mosque. This video shows that they are applying and putting saliva on spoons, plates and utensils and also they are in the intention of spreading coronavirus disease. Nobody knows what’s happening in the Nation.”
As per an Alt News’s investigation, it was found that the same video is available on Vimeo videos, dated July 31, 2018, entitled Muslim Licking Utensils and in the description of which it is written that they are Dawoodi Bohras licking leftover food from utensils to not waste even a morsel.
Bohras eat together in a big “thaal”. This one is from a jamatkhana where on several occasions there is food served. What’s happening here is taking not wasting food at an extreme level. 🤣🤣 https://t.co/irxJePHlZ3
— Yusuf Unjhawala 🇮🇳 (@YusufDFI) July 30, 2018
Read more: Does Social media want you to fall for doom scrolling?
2. Man ‘Spitting’ on Fruits Held in MP, Viral Video as Old as 16 Feb
This is next level. Be safe and careful people pic.twitter.com/OJhONjvUR3
— desi mojito 🇮🇳 (@desimojito) April 3, 2020
A video from February where Sheru, a Muslim Man was found spitting on the fruits, which is definitely unhygienic, but the act was not committed during the pandemic, there was no claims of COVID. It was reshared around April, amid pandemic and Sheru got arrested by MP government under different sections of law. This video from February was purposely used to instigate hate and portray the Islamic community as propagators of the Virus.
Inputs from The Logical Indian
3. A Muslim Police Man’s Action On Temple Priest For Violating Lockdown Viral With Communal Spin
कहा जा रहा है कि रीवा में मंदिर के पुजारी को शयन आरती करते समय पुलिस ने पीटा तथा पूजा का सामान बिखेर दिया,यहां के एस पी आबिद खान हैं,दोषी पुलिस वाले को तत्काल दण्डित किया जाए। pic.twitter.com/a6UKpV5Ppr
— Vijay Shankar Tiwari (@VijayVst0502) April 3, 2020
A photograph of an allegedly Muslim Policeman beating a temple priest for violating the lockdown went viral giving the pandemic, adding a communal spin. The national spokesperson of Vishva Hindu Parishad, Vijay Shankar Tiwari, claimed that the cop was the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district, Abid Khan. Later, this news came out to be false when the inspector was identified as Inspector Rajkumar Mishra, of Reva District.
Source: BoomlIve
4. Foreign nationals from Italy, Iran were hiding in Patna mosque to avoid coronavirus testing, Were they?
on March 3, New 24 India tweeted a video, captioned, “पटना के कुर्जी इलाके में ईरान और इटली से करीब 50 विदेशी नागरिक अचानक से इस कॉलोनी में आ गए. जिस वज़ह से पूरे कॉलोनी में अफरा-तफरी मच गया है. इलाके के एक में मस्जिद आकर रुके थे. पटना पुलिस जांच में जुटी. ”
Alt News’ fact check shows that each of the men got tested negative which was confirmed by AIIMS Patna that they are foreign nationals of Kyrgyzstan, disproving the allegations of them being from the Islamic communities.
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