This Image Shows Bal Thackeray Applying Tilak On Eknath Shindes Forehead? No, Viral Claim Is False

Image Credit: Twitter

This Image Shows Bal Thackeray Applying Tilak On Eknath Shinde's Forehead? No, Viral Claim Is False

Viral image is of Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe. He died in 2001. This image comes after Eknath Shinde rebelled against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena government.

A black and white photo of Late Bal Thackeray is being shared by social media users with a claim that he had given his blessings to Eknath Shinde.

The viral photo shows the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray putting tilak on Shiv Sena rebellion leader Eknath Shinde's forehead while being surrounded by other men. This comes amid the MVA government crisis in Maharashtra. In the latest development, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray resigned from his position on June 29th.

Doonger Singh, journalist at Dainik Bhaskar shared this image and wrote a caption in Hindi which reads, बाला साहेब ने उद्धव को कभी तिलक नहीं किया......क्योंकि संगठन जमीन से जुड़े नेता चलाते हैं... बेटे नहीं!! ये ऐतिहासिक फोटो है... जिसमें बाला साहेब ठाकरे..एकनाथ शिंदे का तिलक कर रहे हैं..... आज शिंदे जो भी कर रहे.. हो सकता है... बाला साहेब भी आज यही करते."

[English Translation: Balasaheb never did tilak to Uddhav. Because the organization is run by grassroots leaders... not sons!! This is a historical photo... in which Balasaheb Thackeray...is doing tilak of Shinde..... whatever Shinde is doing today..May be... Balasaheb would also do the same today.]

A Facebook user wrote, "In an old photo, Balasaheb Thackeray giving blessings by giving Tilak of Eknath Shinde."

Image Credit: Facebook

It is being widely shared on Facebook and Twitter with a similar claim.

Claim:

The viral video shows Bal Thackeray putting tilak to Shiv Sena rebellion leader Eknath Shinde.

Fact Check:

The Logical Indian Fact check team verified the viral claim and found it to be false. The viral image is of Anand Dighe.

During the initial investigation, we did a google reverse image search of the viral image which led us to a tweet done by the official Twitter handle of Shiv Sena dated 26 August 2021. According to the caption, the man in the viral image is Anand Dighe Saheb. The caption of the tweet reads in English, "The memory of Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb remains in the mind of every Shiv Sainik. Greetings to them on the occasion of Memorial Day."

On searching more, we also found the same image in a video report of Lokmat dated April 2022. The title of the video reads, "Why was Anand Dighe called 'Balasaheb Thackeray of Thane'? Who is Anand Dighe? Dharmveer.

Image Credit: Lokmat

Who was Anand Dighe?

Anand Dighe, also known as Bal Thackeray of Thane, was Shiv Sena leader from Thane, Maharashtra. He was the mentor of rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde. Dighe died at the age of 50 after suffering from a heart attack. He came into the limelight in 1989 after the murder of Sena corporator Shridhar Khopkar, who allegedly cross-voted against the party in the Thane mayoral election.

Conclusion:

It is evident from our investigation that the viral image is of Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe. He died in 2001. His image was falsely shared as Bal Thackeray giving his blessings to Eknath Shinde by applying tilak on his forehead. Hence, the viral claim is false.

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: No, Eknath Shinde Was Not Drunk At Surat Airport, Viral Claim Is Misleading

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Editor : Bharat Nayak
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Creatives : Jakir Hassan

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