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Fact Check: SP Divya Thomas Didn't Force Priest To Place Christ Photo In Temple Shrine
Writer: Aditi Chattopadhyay
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
Karnataka, 17 Aug 2020 8:06 AM GMT | Updated 18 Aug 2020 3:38 AM GMT
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The Logical Indian Fact check team investigates the claim that SP of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka pressurised a temple priest to place the photo of Jesus Christ inside the sanctum sanctorum of a temple.
An image showing a photo of Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of a temple in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka is being circulated with the claim that the district SP, Divya Sara Thomas, directed the temple priest to place the photo of Jesus inside the temple.
"SP of Chamarajanar district Divya Sara Thomas has visited #AnjaneyaTemple in Kollegala. SP has reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of #Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of Temple and asked for pooja to be offered," reads the caption of one such post.
SP of Chamarajanar district Divya Sara Thomas has visited #AnjaneyaTemple in Kollegala. SP has reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of #Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of Temple and asked for pooja to be offered. @noconversion@ShefVaidya pic.twitter.com/KJuWUGryEv
— Nishant Azad/निशांत आज़ाद🇮🇳 (@azad_nishant) August 12, 2020
This woman should be suspended for this. @BSYBJP @ShobhaBJP https://t.co/BVs4oYJiJ7
— Shefali Vaidya. (@ShefVaidya) August 13, 2020
This is very serious..@CPBlr @BSYBJP @BJP4Karnataka @udayanews @tv9kannada
— Stop looting Temples -- Stop Donating to Hundis (@Siva10855681) August 13, 2020
SP of Chamarajanar district, Karnataka Divya Sara Thomas reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of #AnjaneyaTemple and asked for pooja to be offered pic.twitter.com/Ym4Z4vAmdT
This is very serious..@CPBlr @BSYBJP @BJP4Karnataka @udayanews @tv9kannada
— Stop looting Temples -- Stop Donating to Hundis (@Siva10855681) August 13, 2020
SP of Chamarajanar district, Karnataka Divya Sara Thomas reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of #AnjaneyaTemple and asked for pooja to be offered pic.twitter.com/Ym4Z4vAmdT
This is very serious if true ?
— Karan Kumar (@MrK834012) August 14, 2020
SP of Chamarajanar district, Karnataka Divya Sara Thomas reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of #Jesus inside the sanctum sanctorum of #AnjaneyaTemple and asked for pooja to be offered pic.twitter.com/Wm7Oq3cKdTDivya Sara Thomas - the rice-bag SP of the Chamarajanar district of #Karnataka visited the Anjaneya Temple in Kollegala and reportedly put pressure on the priest to place a photo of Jesus & Mary inside the sanctum sanctorum of Temple and made him offer puja. pic.twitter.com/bRKidqOu4x
— The_Tall_Indian (@Main_Amitabh) August 14, 2020
SP of Chamarajanar district Divya Sara Thomas has visited AnjaneyaTemple in Kollegala (Karnataka). SP has reportedly put pressure on the priest to place the photo of Jesus inside the sanctum a sanctorum of Temple & asked for pooja to be offered.
— Raji Prasanna🇮🇳 (@rashmiprasan) August 14, 2020
What is this "secular India"???? pic.twitter.com/4xYoLilNgp
Claim:
SP of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka pressurised a temple priest to place the photo of Jesus Christ inside the sanctum sanctorum of a temple.
Fact Check:
The claim is false.
The Karnataka State Police issued a statement on the incident. On August 5, SP Divya was visiting Kollegal taluk in the Chamarajanagara District amid recent floods. On her way back, she had visited the Veeranjaneya temple.
"On realizing that the new SP is from a different faith, the priest, after completing the puja rituals, gifted her a photo of Jesus Christ along with photos of hindu deities," the Karnataka State Police's statement reads.
The police rubbished the claim that SP Divya had forced the priest to perform puja for Jesus Christ.
"She did not carry any photos on her person to the temple. The photos of the incident have been misinterpreted and are being circulated in social media with incorrect information," the statement adds.
"This is done by some elements intending to make mischief. My husband is a Hindu and I am Christian. I had gone to the temple but did not force the priest to perform puja," the News Minute quoted SP Divya as saying.
The priest of the temple also has issued a clarification on the incident which the police has uploaded as part of their statement. The priest's video statement can be watched here.
"It was the day the puja happened at Ram Janmaboomi and we too had a puja here. We did perform puja for the photograph but nothing was forced. If this hurt the religious sentiments of anyone, I apologise," the priest is heard saying in his statement.
According to the police, another devotee had brought the picture of Jesus Christ seen in the viral image.
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: BJP Leader Kapil Mishra Tweets Doctored Photo, Claims 'Tiranga At Lal Chowk'
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