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Fact Check: Old Video Goes Viral With Claim MDH Spices Owner 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati Grooved To Patriotic Song In His Last Moments
Writer: Yusha Rahman
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India, 5 Dec 2020 11:00 AM GMT
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An old video of the owner and 'icon' of MDH spices, 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati, grooving to a patriotic song goes viral with the false claim that it is of his death bed.
The owner of MDH spices, 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati, passed away on December 3, 2020, due to cardiac arrest at the age of 97. Soon after his death, a video started circulating on social media in which he is lying on his bed with some men surrounding him; a man in a red shirt can be seen singing a patriotic song from the 1970 movie, Purab Aur Paschim. In the video, Mahashay is seen enjoying the song and clapping.
The video of is being circulated online with a claim that it is of his deathbed with the caption, "अंतिम क्षणों में भी इच्छा थी देशभक्ति के गीत सुनने की। 97 वर्ष आयु के MDH मसाले के सर्वेसर्वा स्वर्गवासी महाशय धरमपाल गुलाटी जी को कोटि-कोटि प्रणाम." (Which translates in English as, "Even in the last moments, he wanted to listen to patriotic songs. 97-year-old MDH spice's late owner Mahashay Dharampal Gulatiji, many many salutes")
अंतिम क्षणों में भी इच्छा थी देशभक्ति के गीत सुनने की। 97 वर्ष आयु के MDH मसाले के सर्वेसर्वा स्वर्गवासी महाशय धरमपाल गुलाटी जी को कोटि-कोटि प्रणाम। pic.twitter.com/GVIPSBQNuR
— Suyash Pawar (@pawarsuyash7) December 4, 2020
The video was shared by BJP National Secretary co-Incharge of Andhra Pradesh, Sunil Deodhar on Facebook.
Vivek Agnihotri, a director and author infamous for sharing fake news, also tweeted the video, with the caption, "Most overwhelming video you can see today. Even in his last breaths owner of MDH masale Swargiya Dharampal ji's heart was beating for India. I hope this will inspire you."
Most overwhelming video you can see today. Even in his last breaths owner of MDH masale Swargiya Dharampal ji's heart was beating for India. I hope this will inspire you. pic.twitter.com/KmRqS0EpOC
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) December 4, 2020
ABP journalist Vikas Bhaduria also shared the post.
मसाला किंग महाशय धर्मपाल (MDH) की आख़िरी समय की तस्वीरें, आख़िरी समय में भी उनका दिल देश के लिए ही धड़कता रहा. pic.twitter.com/JusNLqvYoO
— Vikas Bhadauria (ABP News) (@vikasbha) December 4, 2020
The post went viral on both Facebook and Twitter.
Claim:
The video is of 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati listening to the patriotic song in his last moments.
Fact Check:
'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati died in Mata Chanan Devi hospital in Delhi where he was reportedly undergoing treatment for the past few weeks.
A Twitter user named Gagan Ahuja commented on the video posted by journalist Vikas Bhadauria saying that the man in the red shirt was his brother. Gagan Ahuja tweeted, "Man in Red shirt, Singing this song is my Big Brother Rakesh Ahuja from Ambala....What a touching moment."
Gagan Ahuja on his Facebook page had also shared about the video with the caption, "संगीत में अदभुत शक्ति होती है.....लगभग एक वर्ष से बीमार चल रहे महाशियां जी जब हॉस्पिटल में थे और हाथ पैर की मूवमेंट्स बिल्कुल बंद हो गयी थी तब मेरे एक पारिवारिक मित्र Rakesh Ahuja जी जो MDH किंग महाशियां जी के बहुत अजीज़ थे , उनसे मिलने गए और डॉक्टर्स से सलाह के बाद संगीत थेरेपी के तौर पर उनका मनपसंद गीत सुनाया....लगभग दो महीने से हाथों का मूवमेंट बंद था....और फ़िर जो चमत्कार हुआ आप खुद देखिए....अलविदा जीवंतता ..." (Which translates as, "Music has amazing power..... Mahashiya ji, who was going sick for almost a year, when he was in the hospital and the movements of hand and leg were completely closed, then one of my family friends.......... who is very dear to MDH King Mahasian ji. Went to see him and after consulting the doctors, he told his favorite song as music therapy.... the hands movement was closed for almost two months.... and then see the miracle that happened for yourself....Bye bye livelihood...")
According to The Quint, Rakesh Ahuja confirmed that the video was of 2019 and not from his last moments. He said, "The viral video is from September-October 2019. Mahashay Dharampalji had fallen down, so I had gone to meet him in the hospital and that's when I sang a song for him. We have close family relations with him. He had asked me to sing this song and even the doctors said that we have to make him energetic." He also said, "While I can't confirm the exact date of the video since 'Mahashay' Dharampal was admitted at the hospital several times, however, it does not show his last moments."
According to the Boomlive, the administrator of the Mata Chanan Devi hospital confirmed that the video was old. The administrator said, "I don't remember the exact time of the video but it is old. I do recognise one of the faces in the video but he is no longer a part of the hospital. Gulati ji was admitted here back them for a brief period."
Hence, the video shared is not from the last moments of 'Mahashay' Dharampal Gulati.
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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