WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Surrounding the G20 Summit, Libya Floods & More

WebQoof Recap: Here are the top five pieces of misinformation that went viral this week.

(Photo: Chetan Bhakuni/Altered by The Quint)

From edited visuals being falsely linked to the recent G20 Summit to unrelated visuals being shared as ones from the catastrophic floods in Libya, here are the top five pieces of misinformation that went viral this week.

1. Fact-Check: Photo of Mahabharata Scene Behind PM Modi and Joe Biden Is Morphed!

Following the conclusion of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, social media users shared a photo of US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the two sat in front of a painting depicting a scene from the Indian epic Mahabharata.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

However, the photo was edited. The original photo, which was shared on PM Modi's verified X (formerly Twitter) account, showed a plain white wall in the background.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Fact-Check: Old, Unrelated Videos Falsely Linked to Libya Floods

After catastrophic floods ravaged Libya, leaving at least 5,000 dead, social media users shared several videos of floods and disasters, claiming that they showed visuals from the country.

(Swipe to view all claims.)

This video was shared as ones showing the moment that the flood hit Derna, Libya.

This video of cars being washed away was incorrectly shared as one from Libya.

This video of a mudslide was shared as 'flash floods' in Libya.

However, none of these three videos are related to the recent catastrophe in Libya.

• The first video has been on the internet since 2016. It shows a flood near Saudi Arabia's Al-Farsha area

• The second video, of people escaping cars which are getting washed away, is from Zaragoza, Spain and was taken in July 2023.

• The last one shows a mudslide in Atami in Japan's Shizuoka prefecture and dates back to July 2021.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Fact-Check: False Claim About Omar Abdullah & Sachin Pilot Goes Viral

A video showing Payal Abdullah talking about her separation with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is going viral on social media.

• In the video, she also mentions about demanding Rs 15 lakh as maintenance from Abdullah for her children and house rent.

• A clip from the interview is being shared to claim that she is the sister of former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot who renounced Hindu religion to marry Omar and is 'suffering' now.

An archive of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

But, the claim is false.

The video shows Payal Abdullah, also known as Payal Nath (maiden name), who separated from Omar Abdullah in 2011 and has no connection to the Pilot family.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. Fact-Check: The 'Magnificent Bharat' Book Was Not Presented to G20 Dignitaries

A copy of a book titled Magnificent Bharat is being shared on social media platforms with the claim that it was presented to the dignitaries who attended the G20 summit in New Delhi.

• The book's contents, which include a descriptive portion of India's history and past, talks about Hindu kings, 'invaders', Hindu scriptures and ancient temples across India.

Magnificent Bharat  was not one of the booklets handed out to dignitaries at the G20 summit.

(Photo: The Quint)

This claim is false. The booklets that were presented to the dignitaries at the G20 summit were titled Bharat the Mother of Democracy and Elections in India.

You can read our fact-check here.

5. BJP Leaders Share Misleading Claim on Karnataka Vehicle Subsidy for Minorities

Sharing a newspaper clipping for an automobile subsidy scheme in Karnataka, several social media users – including some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders – claimed that only people belonging to Muslim or "non-Hindu" communities in the state could benefit from the scheme.

• The claim also accused the current Congress-led government in the state of appeasement politics.

A photo of the clipping went viral on social media with misleading claims.

(Photo: The Quint)

However, the claim is misleading.

• While the Swavalambi Sarathi Scheme subsidises passenger auto rickshaws, goods vehicles and taxis for religious minorities, the Airavatha Scheme provides similar subsidies for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) groups.

• Moreover, a similar scheme was also available for minorities under the state's former BJP government.

You can read our fact-check here.

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