The Indian National Congress (INC) started 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on September 07, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and many other party leaders. This Yatra will cover 11 states and two Union Territories in about five months and was started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and will conclude in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, an image of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is going viral on social media.
In the viral image, Rahul Gandhi can be seen hugging a girl. Many BJP leaders shared this image claiming that the girl seen with Rahul Gandhi in the image is Amulya Noronha, who raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans during the CAA-NRC Protest in 2020.
BJP worker Priti Gandhi shared this image and wrote a caption which reads, "Look Carefully. Not Bharat jodo, this is Bharat todo!!." She later deleted her tweet. Below, you can see the screenshot of the viral tweet.
BJP spokesperson Brijesh Rai shared this tweet and wrote, "ओवैसी के मंच से 'पाकिस्तान ज़िंदाबाद' के नारे लगाने वाली लड़की को, राहुल गाँधी अपनी तथाकथित भारत जोड़ो यात्रा मे गले लगाते हुए दिखे. ये भारत जोड़ो यात्रा नहीं बल्कि भारत तोड़ो यात्रा हैं."
[English Translation: Rahul Gandhi was seen hugging a girl who raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans from Owaisi's stage in his so-called Bharat Jodo Yatra. This is not India Jodo Yatra but India Todo Yatra.]
BJP Uttar Pradesh's IT cell co-convenor Shashi Kumar also tweet the same.
It is being widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with a similar claim.
Claim:
BJP leaders claimed that the girl seen with Rahul Gandhi was Amulya Noronha, who raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans during the CAA-NRC Protest.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian fact-check team verified the claim and found it to be false. The girl in the viral image is Miwa Jolly, a member of the Congress party's Kerala State Students' Organization KSU.
During the initial investigation, we watched the post carefully and found that the viral photo did not resemble Amulya Leona Noronha. We then did a google reverse search and found the viral image on a Facebook post shared by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on September 22. Later it was reshared by a Facebook user Miva Jolly with the caption "Hope".
We scanned the profile of Miva Jolly and found that she is a District General Secretary at Kerala Students Union (KSU), the state's student wing of the Congress.
We also searched her Instagram profile and found that she uploaded the same picture with Rahul Gandhi on 21st September. We found more pictures related to India Jodo Yatra on her account.
We also found a video statement by Miva on Facebook clarifying that the woman seen in the viral image was her, not Amulya Noronha.
It is to be noted that the girl who chanted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan during the CAA NRC rally was identified as Amuly Leona, while the girl with Rahul Gandhi in the viral image is Miva Jolly. Below you can see the comparison.
Our investigation shows that the girl seen with Rahul Gandhi in the viral picture is not Amulya Leona, who raised "Pakistan zindabad" slogans during an anti-CAA protest in 2020. but Miwa Jolly, a member of the Congress party's Kerala State Students' Organization KSU. Hence, the viral claim is false.
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