WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Surrounding Nepal Floods, PM Modi and More

Read our recap to find the viral pieces of fake news we fact-checked this week!

A recap of the most viral pieces of misinformation from last week. 

(Photo: The Quint)

From AI-generated visuals being shared as real footage from the disastrous floods in Nepal to a clipped video shared to claim Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed his stance on reservation in India, here are the top five pieces of misinformation from last week.

1. Video of People Being Washed Away in an Open Park Is Not From Nepal, It’s AI

A video showing people struggling to swim in gushing waters in what appears to be an open, flooded park is being widely shared on social media, where users have claimed that it shows visuals from Nepal.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, we thought that the video was AI-generated.

Read the full story here.

2. Man With CJP’s Ranka Is Not the Same One Who Called for ‘Nepal-Style’ Violence

Social media users shared visuals of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, along with some party members after they were attacked near a school in Rajasthan and claimed that a person who called for 'Nepal-style' violence at the CJP protests is the same man seen with Ranka.

Among those sharing the claim was X user Vijay Gajera, whose post gathered over 8.7 lakh views at the time of writing this article.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, we were able to identify the CJP member with Ranka as Vijay Sherawat, while the person calling for violence was identified as Saurav Singh.

Read the full story here.

3. Clipped Video of PM Modi Shared To Show Him Speaking Against the 'Upper Castes'

A video of Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi was shared on social media, claiming to show him speaking out against the 'upper castes' and 'instigating' Dalits.

Here's what PM Modi seemed to say in the video: "Tell me, if given the chance, would this man not settle everything? You didn't let me fill water, you didn't let me go to the temple, you didn't give admission to my kids in school."

A video of PM Modi is being shared on social media, falsely claiming to show him speaking out against the 'upper castes' and 'instigating' Dalits.

(Source: Facebook/Altered by The Quint)

No, the video was cropped to mislead the viewers. In the original video, PM Modi is talking about how Dr BR Ambedkar never had even a hint of revenge or anger.  

Read the full story here.

4. Fact-Check: Video of Hawker Adding Sewage Water to Biryani Is AI-Generated

A video that purportedly shows a roadside food vendor adding sewage water to a rice dish was widely shared on social media, where users have claimed it is from India.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, we found that the claim is false, as the video is an AI-generated one.

Read the full story here.

5. Fact-Check: Video of a Robbery in Bangladesh Shared With False Communal Claim

A video was going viral on social media, claiming to show a Hindu woman being attacked by 'Islamists' in Bangladesh. The 31-second video showed two men barging into a house and holding a woman hostage.

An archived version of this claim can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, we found that the video showed a robbery incident in Feni, Bangladesh, where a woman was held hostage. There is no communal angle to the video.

Read the full story 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 [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)