BJP’s Information Technology Cell chief (IT Cell) Amit Malviya, has dedicatedly spewed fake news over and over again.

On Tuesday, even as the counting of votes continued, Malviya, tweeted an OpIndia story titled ‘Shaheen Bagh protest site seen empty as AAP all set to return in Delhi’

AAP won election and Shaheen Bagh protestors have gone home… https://t.co/Kv4xXL57FC

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 11, 2020

This tweet has been further retweeted more than 3,000 times.

In their article, right-wing website OpIndia has said, ‘On Tuesday morning, incidentally, when the Delhi Assembly election results were to be announced, the protest site of Shaheen Bagh appeared empty with a scarce number of demonstrators at the site, says a report published in Amar Ujala.’

The article also notes that ‘that Shaheen Bagh comes under Okhla constituency where controversial Aam Aadmi Party member Amanatullah Khan has registered a victory. ‘

Amar Ujala had earlier in the day published the same story with the title ‘शाहीन बाग में धरना स्थल पर पसरा सन्नाटा, खाली पड़ा है पंडाल’ (Shaheen Bagh protest site now empty).

Swarajya, another right-wing magazine, also published an article on similar lines, titled, ‘Shaheen Bagh Protest Site Virtually Empty On Election Result Morning As AAP Notches Decisive Victory: Report’

The claim has also been shared widely on social media.

Claim:

The protesters at Shaheen Bagh didn’t show up as the AAP is all set to form the government in Delhi.

Fact Check:

The photos being circulated with the false claim are indeed from Shaheen Bagh, but it cannot be insinuated that the protestors had deserted the site due to the Aam Admi Party’s mandate.

Also, the photos were clicked before the protestors had assembled there.

It is also noteworthy to mention here that yesterday, Shaheen Bagh held a silent protest ‘against Police brutality and State oppression’.

Be there for SILENT PROTEST. #जामिया_तेरे_ख़ून_से_इंकिलाब_आयगा#JamiaProtest #JamiaMilliaIslamia #घंटा_सबका_साथ_सबका_विकास #modibutcher_ofhumanity #हम_लेके_रहेंगे_आजादी #RejectCAA_NRC_NPR pic.twitter.com/0WqguIXwVS

— Shaheen Bagh Official (@ShaheenBagh_) February 10, 2020

#ShaheenBagh is observing a day of silent protest to condemn the state sponsored terror by police earlier at Jamia.When they said the protestors would disperse post poll results.They again miscalculated the trajectory, we are on streets to defend the constitution. @ImAbdy pic.twitter.com/m9N1uAZPS9

— Shaheen Bagh Official (@ShaheenBagh_) February 11, 2020

The apparent Official Twitter Handle of Shaheen Bagh Tweeted about the misreporting by ‘Amar Ujala’

हिंदी अख़बार अमर उजाला द्वारा दिल्ली चुनाव के नतीजे को ग़लत तस्वीर दिखा कर हमारे प्रदर्शन से जोड़ना उनकी पत्रकारिता के पतन का सबूत है।हम यहीं बैठें है, आइए और खुद देख लीजिए।

— Shaheen Bagh Official (@Shaheenbaghoff1) February 11, 2020

Following the spread of this claim, several twitter accounts posted pictures and videos to refute the allegation.

FYI video by my colleague @wajihulla time 4 pm, Feb 11, 2020 pic.twitter.com/L7SZsb2n1M

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay07) February 11, 2020

Shaheen bagh todaypic.twitter.com/0GREXewvrh

— Nsci (@jyotikab83) February 11, 2020

चुनाव रिजल्ट से दूर जामिया छात्रों पर पुलिस दमन के खिलाफ शाहीन बाग में मौन प्रदर्शन#ShaheenBaghhttps://t.co/bk2aRijZzY pic.twitter.com/8RJXFPbEIo

— Tarique Anwer (@tanwer_m) February 11, 2020

At ShaheenBagh where they are holding a silent protest in solidarity with Jamia. Felt at home, Also loved the Biryani pic.twitter.com/FTJae7IcmB

— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 11, 2020

Cut the shameful lies you filth …This was #ShaheenBagh today At #ShaheenBagh, a silent protest was observed against the police action at #Jamia yesterday. We have decided to not speak on the day of Delhi Election Results. pic.twitter.com/FcSbk7UE6s

— IRFAN AHMAD (@Irfu39) February 11, 2020

In fact, the protestors in their silent protest put forward the message that they don’t support any political party.

Photos tweeted by the news agency ANI, clearly shows their political neutrality.

Delhi: Protesters at Shaheen Bagh observe ‘silent protest’ today. They hold placards reading ‘we don’t support any party’. pic.twitter.com/TBCUtEuKw7

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2020Conclusion:

The timestamps of these tweets clearly show that the protests happened as it has been since December 15th 2019 for almost 55 days and has become a symbol of resistance against NRC, CAA and police brutality. On normal days, the protest at Shaheen Bagh starts around 12 pm as confirmed by one of The Logical Indian reporters, who visited the site of the protest. However, the picture taken by Amar Ujala was from an early morning scene when the protestors had not assembled.

Amit Malviya and several others had earlier tried to discredit the Shaheen Bagh movement using similar fake news.

The protesters’ resolve, however, remains firm.

The Supreme Court is slated to hear the matter of the protesters blocking the public roads and causing inconvenience to people…