Official RSS page shares old image as Seva Bharati workers working in Kerala flood relief
A set of images along with a donation appeal was shared by the official Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Facebook page with the claim that the individuals in the images were Seva Bharati workers aiding Kerala flood victims. One of the images shared as part of this set shows a reporter with many people standing in the background including a few wearing khakhi shorts resembling the old RSS uniform.
Official RSS page shares old image as Seva Bharati workers working in Kerala flood relief
The image was also widely circulated by many on social media, including the Twitter handle Friends of RSS, which describes itself as an “independent initiative by Swayamsevaks”.
The image is from 2012 Kerala floods
The photograph shared by RSS is not of the recent Kerala floods and was taken during the 2012 floods in the state. The reporter in the image had shared the image that same year.
In August 2012 flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Kozhikode and Kannur districts in north Kerala took the lives of nine people. An image of this event was shared as RSS workers providing aid during the recent Kerala floods. However, this isn’t the only old image reshared with a false narrative.
Images of 2017 Gujarat floods viral on social media as recent Kerala floods
Purported images of RSS workers providing aid and relief to flood-stricken Kerala was widespread on social media with captions carrying a tinge of irony – “Looks like Kerela couldn’t kill all of those RSS Terrorists. Few of them are still alive and are looting the poor flood-struck Keralites.”
Looks like Kerela couldn't kill all of those RSS Terrorists. Few of them are still alive and are looting the poor floodstruck Kerelaites.
Where the hell is PFI, shouldn't they be saving these 100% literate civilians from these chaddi clad barbarians? pic.twitter.com/xPYqVr1Qht
— Biswajit Roy (@biswajitroy2009) August 12, 2018
Twitter users Rishi Bagree and Rajesh KrishnanSimha circulated the same images that drew a combined share of 1,500.
BJP MLA from Karnataka C.T. Ravi also shared photographs of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s “humanitarian efforts”.
Blood Thirsty Commies murdered numerous @RSSorg Karyakartas in Kerala.
— C.T.Ravi (@CTRavi_BJP) August 13, 2018
But when "God's Own Country" crumbled due to severe floods it is the same RSS that saved people & provided them with relief.
This Humanitarian efforts by Nationalists will not be showcased by the Paid Media. pic.twitter.com/IY8iudPEkC
However, these images are actually from Gujarat last year and not Kerala. SM Hoax Slayer found identical images being circulated of RSS workers providing aid during Gujarat flood in August 2017. Multiple users on Facebook had shared the images.
Severe monsoon flooding killed at least 213 in Gujarat last year. Over one lakh residents had to be relocated due to submergence of their homes.
Not isolated incidents
Old or unrelated images have been attributed to RSS several times in the past. In 2015, images of RSS workers in Gujarat was shared as them providing aid during the Nepal earthquake.
Dattatreya Hosabele, a senior RSS functionary based in Nepal, had denied the claims on social media as reported by Nistula Hebbar, the political editor of The Hindu.
Further, the official Twitter handle of RSS had also denied the claim of 20000 RSS workers having reached Nepal.
Media is reporting inflated figures of RSS Swayamsevaks reaching Nepal for rescue work.
— RSS (@RSSorg) April 26, 2015
Last year, Twitter handle @TrueIndology also falsely attributed a picture of a camp in late 1940s East Punjab to RSS.
Recirculating old images as part of a recent or an unrelated event is a mischievous attempt to misinform people. It is advisable to verify photographs viral on social media before believing in them.
Courtesy: www.altnews.in
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Kerala HC declines interim stay on screening of ''L2: Empuraan''
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to issue any interim order putting on hold the screening of Malayalam film 'L2: Empuraan' starring superstar Mohanlal.
Justice C S Dias ordered to issue notice to the Centre and the Censor Board seeking their stand on the plea by Thrissur-native V V Vijeesh who has claimed that continuing to show the movie poses a risk of inciting communal violence and disturbing public order.
It listed the matter for hearing after the vacation.
The court also questioned whether the petition was filed in publicity interest by the petitioner.
During the brief hearing of the matter, the court also asked what was the problem when the Censor Board had certified the film for public viewing.
It also expressed doubts about the petitioner's intention behind filing the plea.
It also pointed out that no case was filed anywhere against the movie.
The state government said that no case has been lodged against the film in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Antony Perumbavoor, one of the producers of the film, earlier in the day announced that the movie has undergone cuts to remove scenes of little over two minutes.
He said the decision to carry out the edit was a joint one of all the producers and actors, including Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran, and it was not out of fear of anyone.
The movie has faced intense criticism from the Sangh Parivar with regard to some portions of the film.
'L2: Empuraan', the second part of the 'Lucifer' movie, a trilogy planned by the Prithviraj-Mohanlal team, has become a topic of hot debate over its critique of right-wing politics and the covert mention of the Gujarat riots.
On March 27, the day of the movie's release, the Sangh Parivar vehemently criticised the film on social media, while the Congress and Left platforms celebrated the film for portraying the right-wing politics as "villainous".
