Fact Check: Massive protest against Amit Shah for remark on Ambedkar? No, viral video is old
Claim: The video shows a massive protest against Amit Shah’s statement on Dr BR Ambedkar in Parliament.
Fact: The claim is false. The video was from February 2022 and shows a protest by Dalit groups in Bengaluru against a judge.
Hyderabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements on Dr BR Ambedkar have caused quite a stir with the Opposition protesting for action to be taken against Amit Shah for the remarks.
Amid this, a video claiming to show a massive protest against Amit Shah has gone viral. The video shows a huge protest march on a flyover amid police security.
A Facebook user shared the video and wrote, “Amit Shah should apologize. The fire that has started in the country has now become a volcano, and this volcano is spreading all over the world. There are people who love Baba Saheb Ambedkar all over the world.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)
Similar posts can be seen here, and here. (Archive 1, Archive 2)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The video shows a protest march by Dalit groups against a judge.
Using keyframes from the video, we conducted a reverse image search and found an article by The News Minute titled, ‘Ambedkar photo row: Massive protest by Dalit groups in Bengaluru against judge,’ published on February 20, 2022.
The photos from the article and the viral video are identical. Here is a comparison of the TNM photo and the viral video.
The article mentioned that the video is from a protest held in Bengaluru on February 19, 2022. Dalit groups demanded the suspension of a Karnataka district judge who objected to placing Dr Ambedkar’s portrait next to Mahatma Gandhi’s during Republic Day celebrations in Raichur. The massive rally, which clogged the Anand Rao Circle flyover, prompted Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to meet the protesters at Freedom Park.
Through a keyword search, we also found a longer video of the protest on YouTube, posted by SahilOnline TV News on February 20, 2022. The description confirmed it was a Dalit groups protest against the Raichur judge.
Additionally, Asianet News also published a video the same day, reporting heavy protests in Karnataka over the judge’s actions.
Therefore, we conclude that the viral video is not related to a protest against Amit Shah’s statement. It shows a protest from February 2022 by Dalit groups in Bengaluru demanding action against a judge.
(This story was originally published by newsmeter, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
