WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Around Gyanvapi, Assam Floods, and More

Round-up of the most viral pieces of misinformation that people fell for.

Misinformation around Gyanvapi and old related visuals shared by media outlets as those from Assam 

(Photo: Deeksha Malhotra/The Quint)

From unrelated photos misidentified as those from the Gyanvapi mosque to a misleading 'fact-check' by the Press Information Bureau on the finance ministry's remarks on inflation, here's a round-up of all that misled the people.

1. Unrelated Photos Passed Off as Those From Gyanvapi Mosque

Following claims that a shivling was discovered inside the Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi during a three-day videographic survey, various social media users shared photos claiming they were from the mosque enclosure.

However, we discovered that while two photos were from a fountain at Ajmer Sharif dargah in Rajasthan and the Nakhoda mosque in Kolkata respectively, the third showed a shivling at a temple in Balasore, Odisha.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Media Outlets Falsely Share Old Video From Indonesia as Bridge Collapse in Assam

A video of a bridge collapse was widely shared on social media with a claim that the footage was taken in flood-stricken Assam.

Several news organisations, including Hindi news channel Aaj Tak, English channel NDTV, TV9, Asianet Online, and Odisha TV, as well as news portals News NCR had broadcast the visuals.

However, we could trace the video back to 2021 and as per news reports, it showed an old bridge in East Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia, which had collapsed owing to flash floods in April 2021.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Did Finance Ministry Say 'Inflation Will Affect Rich More'?

On 15 May, the Press Information Bureau's (PIB) fact-check handle tweeted that the Ministry of Finance had not said anything related to 'inflation hurting rich more than poor in 2022.'

But this 'fact-check' overlooked the fact that the Monthly Economic Review (MER) for April 2022 makes this assertion. MER is published by the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the Ministry of Finance.

An archive of the post can be seen here.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. Photo From Vietnam Shared as 'Shivling Found in Gyanvapi Mosque Complex'

A photo of an excavation site had gone viral with the claim that it showed the 'Shivling' that was purportedly discovered inside the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi.

However, we found that the viral photograph was from 2020 and depicted a shivling discovered in the Qung Nam district of central Vietnam. The discovery was made while working on a restoration effort at Mỹ Sơn, a collection of abandoned and partially damaged Hindu temples in the country.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. No, Congress Didn’t Use Pakistan Flag Colours at Rajasthan’s Chintan Shivir

A photo from the Indian National Congress' three-day Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, Rajasthan, was shared with a claim that the tent was decorated with green and white colour, which are also the colours of Pakistan's national flag.

All three colours of the tricolour were used to form the ceiling.

However, other photos shared by Congress' accounts showed that all three colours of the Indian tricolour were used to form the cloth ceiling, and not just green and white as the claims stated.

You can read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)