All section Close
Image Credit: Twitter
Fact Check: BJP Leader Falsely Claims 'Christian Mafia Encroached Hill Where Sita Mata's Footprints Once Existed'
Writer: Yusha Rahman
Yusha, an engineer turned journalist with a core interest in sensible journalism. Since the time she worked in an MNC, she saw how fake news was rife to malign images of communities, leaders, etc. This encouraged her to give up her career in MNC and passionately work towards curbing fake news and propaganda.
India, 3 March 2021 11:51 AM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
Creatives : Rajath
A free spirit who find meaning in life with the virtue of creativity and doing job par its excellence, animal lover and traveller by heart.
In an attempt to stir communal tension, a false claim saying Christian Mafias have encroached on a Hindu shrine in Andhra Pradesh is being spread. The Logical Indian Fact Check team debunks the claim.
A post is viral on social media with three images, one of Lord Narasimha's carving and the other two showing a huge cross. These images are being shared together to claim that a huge illegal cross has been put by Christian mafias on the hill where footprints of Sita Mata were present.
The images are shared with the caption, "See huge illegal Cross in Edlapadu, AP where once footprints of SitaMaa existed. Carving of Lord Narasimhama exists at back. In Guntur Dist, Christian mafias have created havoc. BJP4Andhra & friendsofrss protested but administration tacitly supported."
This tweet was also shared by Sunil Deodhar, National Secretary of BJP. The archive of the Tweet can be seen here. This post is shared to portray that how Christians in Andhra Pradesh are creating trouble against Hindus as the Chief Minister of the state, YSR Jaganmohan Reddy is a Christian.
Later, Swarajya Magazine and OpIndia also did the same story based on the tweet of Sunil Deodhar.
The post is viral on Facebook and Twitter.
Claim:
Christian Mafia erected a huge cross on the hill where Sita Mata's footprints are carved.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian found that the claim is fake.
Guntur Rural District Police, on March 2, 2021, through a tweet and a video, refuted the claim made by Sunl Dheodhar. The police tweeted a video in which the SHO of Edlapadu shows the idol of Lord Narasimha and its surrounding and says that there is no encroachment near it. He later says that the cross is constructed almost half a kilometre away on the other hill and requests people not to spread fake news and hatred. The police tweet this video by SHO with the caption, "THEY ARE COMPLETELY 2 DIFFERENT HILLOCKS and there is absolutely NO encroachment of the hill where Narasimha Swami idol is there ..(check videos by our SHO). Request to use Twitter to spread love, unity and peace."
The Logical Indian contacted D. Srihari, the SHO of Edlapadu, who confirmed that the viral post is fake. Srihari said, "The viral post is fake; both the places are almost over 500 metres apart. No encroachment is done near the Swami Narasimha's temple. Earlier in 1998, former MLA of the place, Paul, installed the cross on another hill where Mother Mary's statue was located. While both hills are nearby, these are two separate places, and nothing happened to the hill where Swami Narasimha's idol is."
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.
Also Read: Fact Check: Video Of A Police Personnel Thrashed In UP's Mall Shared With Communal Angle
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
