SP Leader Swami Prasad Maurya Was Thrashed By Public In Malihabad, UP? No, Viral Claim Is False
|Swami Prasad Maurya recently left BJP and joined hands with Samajwadi Party. It is being claimed that he was welcomed by SP members with shoes and slippers in Malihabad, UP.
A video of the former UP minister and current SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya is going viral, claiming that his party workers beat him up. In the 55 seconds viral video, Swami Prasad Maurya is pictured standing on stage, followed by a horde of people who apparently are trying to beat him. A few party members can be seen trying to keep the crowd under control, and it can be heard that the crowd is shouting in an unrecognizable language.
Swami Prasad Maurya recently left BJP and joined hands with Samajwadi Party. The video is massively shared on social media with a caption that reads," कल लखनऊ में दलबदलू स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्या को मंच पर ही लोगों ने जमकर_कूटा फिर सीधा नीचे फेंकदिया मलिहाबाद विधानसभा".
[English Translation: During a public meeting, defector Swami Prasad Maurya was severely beaten by the SP worker and was thrown from the stage]
Another Twitter user wrote, "लखनऊ में मलीहाबाद में सपा के मंच पर स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्य की कुटाई हुई."
[English Translation: Swami Prasad Maurya was thrashed on the stage of SP in Malihabad in Lucknow.]
A Facebook user wrote, "लाल टोपी वालों की सच्चाई| पूर्व मंत्री स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्य को लोगो ने मंच पे जाके लात घूंसों से पीटा मलिहाबाद में."
[English Translation: The truth of those wearing red hats. Former minister Swami Prasad Maurya was beaten up by people on stage in Malihabad.]
This video is being widely shared on Facebook and Twitter.
Claim:
Swami Prasad Maurya was thrashed by SP members in Malihabad, UP.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian Fact Check team verified the claim and found it to be misleading.
We did an open keyword search during the initial investigation and found the higher resolution of the viral video in a tweet shared by Anil Tiwari, founder of UttarPradesh.ORG News. The caption of the tweet reads in Hindi, "मलिहाबाद ग्राउंड में सपा प्रत्याशी सोनू कनौजिया की जनसभा को संबोधित करने पहुचे थे स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्य। दो सपा नेता और उनके समर्थक भिड़े."
[English Translation: Swami Prasad Maurya had reached the Malihabad ground to address the public meeting of SP candidate Sonu Kanojia. During the meeting, two SP leaders and their supporters started fighting with each other.]
On observing the video, we did not see Swami Prasad Maurya anywhere in the clash. Below you can see the tweet.
Taking a hint from it, we searched the video with specific keywords and found the viral video in a video report of Live Hindustan dated February 21 2022. According to the information mentioned in the video, Swami Prasad Maurya had reached a public rally of SP candidate Sonu Kanojia in Malihabad, Lucknow. After Swami Prasad Maurya's speech was over, two SP leaders and supporters clashed, leading to a scuffle between the two. Nowhere it was mentioned that Swami Prasad Maurya was involved in the clash.
On searching more, we also found a news report of Dainik Bhaskar dated February 19, in which similar footage can be seen. According to the report, on Saturday evening, Swami Prasad Maurya had come as the chief guest to campaign for Sonu Kanojia, MLA candidate from SP at Malihabad Tehsil. Meanwhile, the fight started after a heated argument between two senior SP workers on the stage. There was a stampede among the people, and the policemen present on the spot brought the matter under control. After the public meeting, both the activists who were beaten up made a written complaint in Malihabad Kotwali.
To conclude, it is true that Swami Prasad Maurya was present on the spot; however, he was neither involved nor he was assaulted in the clash on the stage during the public rally in Malihabad. The clash happened between two SP leaders and their supporters, and hence, the viral claim is fake.
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