WebQoof Recap: Of False Claims Around Rahul Gandhi, India-Japan Deal & More
Read our recap to find the viral pieces of fake news we fact-checked this week!
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From fake claims surrounding Rahul Gandhi making 'offensive statements' about women at his Chhatron Ki Goonj event to false claims about Japan signing a contract allowing 50 million 'Hindus' to settle there, here's a recap of the top five pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.
1. No, Japan Has Not Signed a Contract Allowing 50 Million 'Hindus' To Settle There
Social media users are sharing posts about India sending its citizens to Japan, shortly after the two Asian nations signed an agreement to exchange manpower, among other things.
The viral posts about this exchange claim, "Japan and India signed a contract to allow 50 million Hindus to settle in Japan (sic)."
The claim is false. India and Japan have agreed to exchange five lakh people between the two countries over the course of five years, including 50,000 skilled workers.
However, the agreement does not mention sending or exchanging people of a certain religion, nor does it mention Indians 'settling' in Japan.
Read our fact-check here.
2. 2018 Video Falsely Shared as Current Condition of Government School in Punjab
A nearly two-minute video showing broken, dilapidated girls' toilets with no ceiling and running water is being shared on social media, where the man in the video identifies the location as the government school in Jalla, Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab.
The claim: The video is being shared to claim that it shows the current condition of government schools in Punjab under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
However, the video dates back to 2018 and does not show recent visuals of the Government High School in Jalla, Punjab.
Read our fact-check here.
3. Did Rahul Gandhi Make Offensive Statements About Women at Chhatron Ki Goonj? No!
A video was shared on social media, claiming to show Rahul Gandhi making offensive statements about women and that women themselves are the reason for their sexual assault.
However, the video has been cropped and edited. In the full version of the video, he attributes the regressive statements to other politicians.
Read our fact-check here.
4. No, This Isn’t Mallikarjun Kharge Carrying Rajiv, Rahul Gandhi’s Bags
A photo showing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi walking with a young Rahul Gandhi is being widely shared on social media. In the photo, the Gandhis are flanked by people carrying bags on both sides.
The claim: Those sharing this image have claimed that the man carrying two bags, seen on the left side of the image, is current Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
However, the image does not show Kharge. The man was identified as Siddharth Reddy, Rajiv Gandhi's close aide, and not Kharge.
Read our fact-check here.
5. Old Video of ‘Kiss of Love’ Movement Goes Viral Again With False Claim
A video of people hugging and kissing each other is being shared on the internet with the claim that it shows a recent incident of 'communist students' protesting at Jadavpur University, West Bengal.
The post is captioned, "Ultra communist students are protesting in Jadavpur University, India for Gaza, LGBTQ rights & to implement the communist ideology in the world."
However, the claim is false. The video dates back to 2014 and shows the 'Kiss of Love' movement.
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 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)