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Fact Check: Old Photo Shared As State Crackdown On Recent Farmers' Protests
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.
Punjab, 24 Sep 2020 11:35 AM GMT
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The Logical Indian Fact check team investigates the claim that a recent photo from a farmer protest shows a policeman pointing a gun at a farmer.
The farm bills - The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed in Rajya Sabha on September 20, by voice vote, despite massive protest by opposition and farmers. The bills were cleared amid mayhem in Rajya Sabha with several MPs taking to the well of the House and raising anti-government slogans.
In light of this, a photo of a policeman in riot gear pointing a gun at an old man aiming a brick at him is being circulated with the claim that it is recent and from the farmers' protests.
Chhattisgarh Youth Congress from their official Twitter account shared the photo with the caption which when translated to English reads, "Whoever raised their voice for their rights against Modi ji, you have lathi-charged everyone #kishanVirodhiNarendraModi"
Shakuntala Sahu, Congress MLA from Kasdol in Chhattisgarh, tweeted the photo and wrote (in Hindi), "Don't kill me with your bullets, I am already a miserable person..! The reason behind my death is that I happen to be a farmer ..! #kishanVirodhiNarendraModi. (anti-farmer Narendra Modi)."
At the time of writing this report, the tweet had garnered over 1500 reactions.
The photo has also been shared on Facebook.
Claim:
Recent photo from farmer protests shows a policeman pointing a gun at a farmer.
Fact Check:
The claim is false. The photo is actually from seven years ago.
A reverse image search led to a report by Indian Express which was published on September 30, 2013.
According to the report, the photo was shot in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. It has been credited to the news agency PTI with the caption, "A security officer takes on a villager during the clash in Khera on Sunday."
Reportedly, the villagers had clashed with police forces at the venue of a maha panchayat that had been banned by the administration in the Meerut district.
At least 6 people, including policemen and a woman, were injured in the clash. The police had to resort to teargas shells and open firing in the air to control the situation.
Officials had stated that a large number of villagers, including several women carrying their children, had gathered in Khera village in Sarghana for the mahapanchayat to protest against the arrest and slapping of National Security Act on local BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som in connection with the Muzaffarnagar violence.
According to Secretary (Home) Kamal Saksena, the mahapanchayat had been called by Som's wife and his brother.
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: ANI Claims 'Muslim Community' Celebrated PM Modi's Birthday Outside Nizamuddin Markaz
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