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Fact Check: Old Image of A Sikh Activist Shared With Claim Of Him Fasting To Support Farmers' Protest
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India, 26 Dec 2020 10:37 AM GMT
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An old image of a Sikh activist Bapu Surat Singh has gone viral with the claim of him fasting to support ongoing farmers' protest. The Logical Indian Fact Check team debunks the claim.
An image of an extremely frail old man lying on a bed has gone viral with the claim that the person is Sikh activist Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, who is on a hunger strike to support farmers' protest in Delhi.
The image is viral in the backdrop of ongoing farmers' protest in Delhi against the three new farm laws passed by the Parliament of India in September.
The photo is shared with the caption, "बापूसूरतसिंह...,ने अपनी किसान क़ौम के लिए अन्न जल त्याग दिए जनता अब भी साथ नहीं आइ तो आने वाले समय में उपवास जनता को करना होगा एक शेयर इस महान आत्मा के लिए|" (which translates in English as, "Bapu Surat Singh is on a hunger strike to support farmers' community. If the public still doesn't come forward then in coming days the public will have to do the fast. Share the post to support this great personality).
#बापूसूरतसिंह...,ने अपनी #किसान क़ौम के लिए अन्न जल त्याग दिए जनता अब भी साथ नहीं आइ तो आने वाले समय में उपवास जनता को करना होगा
एक शेयर इस महान आत्मा के लिए
Posted by हिमाचल समय - Himachal Samay on Sunday, 20 December 2020
The image is viral on Facebook.
Many people are also sharing the image on Twitter.
Claim:
The viral image is of Bapu Surat Singh, protesting to support the ongoing farmers' protest.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian did a reverse image search and found the same image was published on a website, Asian Sunday, on November 2, 2015.
We also found the same image was also published on the Facebook page, "Baba Surat Singh Ji Khalsa & Punjab" on September 23, 2015. Hence, the viral image is old and unrelated to the ongoing farmers' protest.
The Indian Express reported on December 6, 2015, that Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa, an 82-year old Sikh activist, has been on a hunger strike since January 16, 2015, as claimed by his family.
A report by Sikh 24, published on December 25, 2017, also said that sikhs across the globe arranged blood donation camp to help raise awareness for the oldest hunger-striker Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa. The article also said, "Surat Singh Khalsa has been on a hunger strike for nearly 1000 days in Punjab to raise awareness about Sikh political prisoners."
Hence, the viral image is of Bapu Surat Singh Khalsa on a hunger strike demanding the release of the Sikh political prisoners.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.
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