Old Clip from Odisha Peddled as BJP Leaders Thrashed in Tamil Nadu
In the age of social media, misinformation and disinformation have become a major concern. With the proliferation of fake news, it’s becoming increasingly important to fact-check and verify the authenticity of the content we come across online. Recently, a video showing a group of people campaigning and a man being dragged below and thrashed by the group, resurfaced online with a false claim that it depicts the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Tamil Nadu. However, BOOM fact-checked the video and found that it actually shows a clash between BJP leaders in Odisha’s Balangir which took place in October 2023.
The video, which has been widely shared on social media platforms, shows a group of people, allegedly BJP and RSS leaders, campaigning for an election. However, the scene takes a turn for the worse when a man is dragged below and thrashed by the group. The video has been captioned as “BJP and RSS leaders thrashed in Tamil Nadu” and has been shared with the intention of tarnishing the image of the BJP and RSS.
However, BOOM fact-checked the video and found that it is an old clip from Odisha’s Balangir district, which dates back to October 2023. The video shows a clash between two groups of BJP leaders, who were campaigning for an election. The incident occurred when a group of BJP leaders, who were supporting a particular candidate, clashed with another group of leaders who were supporting a different candidate.
BOOM spoke to local sources and found that the incident occurred during the panchayat elections in Odisha’s Balangir district. The clash was sparked by a dispute over the distribution of election materials and tickets. The police had to intervene to control the situation and prevent further violence.
It’s not the first time that misinformation has been spread online. In recent times, we have seen several instances of fake news and disinformation being spread on social media platforms. In some cases, these false claims have been spread with the intention of causing harm to individuals or groups. In other cases, they have been spread simply to sensationalize news and attract more views.
The spread of misinformation has serious consequences. It can lead to panic, confusion, and even violence. It can also damage the reputation of individuals and organizations. In the case of the video, the false claim that it depicts the leaders of the BJP and RSS in Tamil Nadu has the potential to damage the reputation of these organizations and create unnecessary tensions between different groups.
In recent times, social media platforms have been criticized for their role in spreading misinformation. While they have taken several steps to curb the spread of fake news, more needs to be done to prevent the spread of misinformation. In the case of the video, social media platforms should have flagged the content as false and removed it from their platforms.
In conclusion, the video showing a group of people campaigning and a man being dragged below and thrashed by the group, is an old clip from Odisha’s Balangir district, which dates back to October 2023. The claim that it depicts the leaders of the BJP and RSS in Tamil Nadu is false and has been spread with the intention of causing harm to these organizations. Social media platforms have a responsibility to curb the spread of misinformation and prevent the spread of fake news.
Source: https://www.boomlive.in/fast-check/bjp-rss-leaders-thrashed-tamil-nadu-old-video-odisha-27750
