Image Courtesy:aajtak.in
In 2016, Union Health Minister Dr Harshvadhan had to take to twitter to assure his followers that he was safe and sound and the video claiming to show crowds beating “him” was false. He had then called it “misleading content” spread with “malicious and mischievous intent”.
A video in my name is making rounds on whatsapp and other media.
It’s misleading content being spread with malicious and mischievous intent.— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) November 27, 2016
The video is back making rounds with similar claims, this time the fake news blames “farmers” for beating up the Union Minister, and is being shared on social media, and Whatsapp. Those sharing it, do not pause to think that the Union Health Minister is busy tweeting in support of all policies of his government, and has not gone to meet anyone on the street, leave alone farmers protesting the agriculture laws they deem dangerous. The man in the video is clearly not Dr Harshvardhan, who would not step out, if at all, without his security detail. The policemen seen in the video do not seem to belong to Delhi Police, and no one is wearing a mask. Therefore making it clear that it is an old video, of another incident, and clearly fake news. But believers of Whatsapp university do not care.
Meanwhile multiple fact checks have already exposed the video as fake. The one done by The Logical Indian, is dated from West Bengal, where the 2016 incident took place and was reported that year.
Today, the video claimed police were attempting to rescue a man from the mob beating him, claiming it was Dr Harshvardhan who was under attack by farmers. However, it was an incident first reported on October 20, 2016. According to an NDTV report quoted by TLI, the ruckus was that of a local BJP leader Subrata Mishra was beaten up allegedly by India Trinamool Congress workers. News agency ANI, had share it then,
West Bengal: Ruckus during Union Minister Babul Supriyo’s visit in Asansol pic.twitter.com/d6Z4N4SefR
— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2016
It is not clear who is trending it again today, or rather who will benefit from spreading fake news that the health minister was attacked by farmers. The Union Health minister has had a smooth run in office, mosty online, and via video conferencing, even as the Covid-19 crisis rages on. He has been posting regular updates on what was on his priority list daily. Today it was the inauguration of the ‘Atal Tunnel’ at Himachal Pradesh by Prime Minister Modi.
#WatchNow !!#AtalTunnel के उद्घाटन के उपरांत #HimachalPradesh के #SolangValley में एक जनसभा को संबोधित करते हुए PM श्री @narendramodi जी@PMOIndia @CMOFFICEHP @BJP4Himachal @rajnathsingh @jairamthakurbjp #HimachalPradesh #Manali https://t.co/3XpdgQOUsi
— DrHarshVardhanOffice (@DrHVoffice) October 3, 2020
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