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Image Credit: Twitter/MaheshBhaduBjp
No, This Mosque Was Not Demolished Due To A "Pakistani Flag" Hoisted On Top'; Viral Video Is Misleading
Writer: Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
Uttar Pradesh, 18 Jan 2023 10:07 AM 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 : Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
While sharing this video, people on social media claimed that the mosque was demolished after a Pakistani flag was hoisted on top of the mosque. The Logical Indian Fact Check team verified the viral claim.
A video of a mosque being demolished is being widely circulated across social media with the claim that it was demolished after a Pakistani flag was hoisted on top of the mosque. The video is shared with the claim that the CM Yogi-led Uttar Pradesh took strict action against the construction of mosques.
Claim:
The set of viral videos shows the demolition of a mosque, as seen from various angles. A bulldozer can be seen destroying the religious structure, with some flags hoisted on the top.
Mahesh Kumar Bhadu, a member of the BJP and social media head of the Rajasthan unit shared the video with the claim, "In Yogi Baba's state, Yogi ji uprooted the mosque itself after Pakistan's flag was hoisted on the mosque in Saidabad, Prayagraj (U.P.)."
Twitter user @AdityaTamBjp shared the video with the claim, "Flag of Pakistan was hoisted on the mosque in Saidabad, Prayagraj (UP), the whole mosque was demolished. If there is Yogi, then it is possible."
On Facebook and Twitter, many users have shared videos with similar claims.
Fact Check:
The Logical Indian fact check team verified the viral claim and found it to be false. The mosque was demolished due to road-widening project.
We used InVid's Keyframe Analysis tool to isolate the keyframes of the viral video and conducted a reverse image search on the keyframes. This threw up a tweet by the Twitter page, '@PurificationHr' published on January 15, 2023.
The video shared is the same as the one shared virally with the caption, "Shahi Masjid martyred in Handia, Allahabad, Construction was done during the time of Sher Shah Suri, demolition was done in the presence of Public Works Department for widening of GT Road."
Taking a cue from this, we then conducted a keyword search which led us to a Live Hindustan report published on January 9, 2023. The report noted that the historic Shahi Masjid was razed to the ground with bulldozers as part of the road widening campaign in Saidabad market. The administration had provided a notice to remove the Shahi Masjid built on Public Works Department (PWD) land in the market, following which the action was taken.
We also came across a Dainik Bhaskar report published on 9 January 2023 which noted that the Shahi Masjid was located in Saidabad market of Handia tehsil of Prayagraj and was demolished on 9 January.
According to the Dainik Bhaskar report, this mosque was built on GT Road, which is being widened by the Public Works Department (PWD). As the mosque was built on PWD land, it was demolished. Quoting the Imam of the mosque, Mohammad Babul Hussain, the newspaper said that the matter was proceeding in court, but despite this, the administration demolished the mosque.
We also saw tweets by local journalists, which further affirmed that the mosque was demolished due to road widening. Mohammed Anas, a local journalist noted that the mosque is being demolished due to road widening being done on Allahabad Banaras Highway. As the population and the number of vehicles increase, the roads are being widened.
We also noticed that the flag seen waving on the mosque in the viral video is blurred, but the difference between this flag and the Pakistani flag can be noted. The flag observed in the viral video does not contain a white stripe, whereas the Pakistani flag does. The shape of the moon and stars is inverse to that of the Pakistan flag. The flag seen on the mosque appears to be a symbol associated with Islam hoisted on Islamic establishments.
Replying to user @AhmedKhabeer, Prayagraj Police Comissionerate said in a tweet, "The widening work of Prayagraj-Handia main road is being done by the Public Works Department. The Shahi Masjid built in Saidabad town of Handia police station was situated on the way of road widening. The mosque was removed on 09.01.2023 with a consensus made after the talks with the officials of the Public Works Department by the members of the mosque committee. A watch is being kept on the situation."
Conclusion:
We found that the claim that the mosque in Prayagraj was removed because of a Pakistani flag on top is misleading. The mosque has been demolished for a road widening project, even though the matter is pending in court.
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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