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BJP's Allegation Of Gang-Rape Of Its Two Women Supporters Is False: Police
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, 5 May 2021 12:27 PM GMT | Updated 5 May 2021 2:08 PM GMT
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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 : 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.
BJP leaders claimed that Trinamool Congress members gang-raped two women who were BJP polling agents. The West Bengal police denied the claim and have started probe to find out who spread the "rumour".
Soon after the West Bengal assembly elections result was declared on May 2, reports of violence from many districts of the state started surfacing. Opposition parties BJP, Congress, and Left-Front, accused Trinamool Congress of instigating post-poll violence.
In context to West Bengal post-poll violence, social media users led by BJP leaders claimed that two women polling agents of BJP were raped in West Bengal's Birbhum district by workers of Trinamool Congress.
India Today also reported that two women polling agents were gang-raped in West Bengal on May 3, 2021, based on allegations made by BJP leaders.
Saumitra Khan, BJP MP from Bishnupur, West Bengal, tweeted an image with a caption, "BJP Karyakarta who has been 𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 by 𝗧𝗠𝗖 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗻𝘀 at 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗯𝗵𝘂𝗺. We are also getting distressing reports of 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗲 and 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 from 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗵, 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗿."
Agnimitra Paul, BJP West Bengal Mahila Morcha President, also tweeted, "BJP Karyakarta who has been 𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗴-𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 by 𝗧𝗠𝗖 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗻𝘀 at 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗯𝗵𝘂𝗺. We are also getting distressing reports of 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝗲 and 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 from 𝗣𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗵, 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗿."
Amit Malviya, National in charge of BJP's Information and Technology department, also tweeted claiming BJP women workers were raped in West Bengal. He tweeted, "BJP national president has made a strong statement by landing in Kolkata in the aftermath of TMC sponsored retributive post-results violence. BJP women workers have been raped. This violence has tainted TMC's win. BJP will leave no stone unturned to win this ideological battle." The archive of the post can be seen here.
Claim:
Two women were raped by Trinamool Congress supporters in post-poll violence in West Bengal.
Fact Check:
On May 4, 2021, West Bengal police tweeted and said that claim of women raped in post-poll violence is fake.
The executive editor of India Today, Deep Haldar, who had earlier shared the Tweet claiming that the women workers were raped, later deleted the post. He tweeted, "So now West Bengal police says Bengal BJP allegation that two of their women workers were raped is fake news. Bengal BJP had said yesterday not only were two women raped; many others were molested."
Haldar also tweeted, "EC-appointed Birbhum district SP Nagendra Tripathi has said reports of gangr@pe in Birbhum are fake. So I am deleting my tweet where I had quoted Bengal BJP's allegation of the r@pe of two-party workers."
ANI also tweeted the statement made by Tripathi. According to Tripathi, local BJP leaders are also unaware of any such incidents. Tripathi said, "Since yesterday, news on the rape of 2 women and molestation of some other women in Nanoor is being circulated on social media. We verified the info & also spoke to local BJP leaders, they're unaware of any such incident. I inform everyone that it's fake news ."
Pooja Mehta, a journalist working with Zee News, also shared a video of Birbhum district SP Nagendra Tripathi in which he is calling the reports of gangrape in Birbhum as fake and also warned that action will be taken against those who spread the fake news. In the video, Tripathi said that the news of gang rape in Birbhum is face and the police is trying to find the origin of the fake news on social media. He also said that appropriate action will be taken against those behind the fake news.
According to Telegraph India, District President of Birbhum Anubrata Mondal held a press conference with the lady who was allegedly raped. She also denied the rape charges and said, "It was wrong news. A few of the Trinamul workers had threatened me, and I went to another village out of fear. But what has been claimed did not happen with me. I have lodged a complaint with the police to take action against those who have circulated the news."
As of now, no one has come up to register an FIR of rape or in the media alleging rape. A rumour which went viral on Social media of gang rape of two BJP members has been denied by the police and the locals.
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: Old Video Shared As TMC Workers Celebrating West Bengal Poll Victory With Guns
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