CLAIM
A video of actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol being surrounded by a mob has gone viral with the claim that he was stopped from entering a Gurdwara because of his association with the BJP.
The video has been widely shared on Facebook, and The Quint received a query from reader Dilip Kumar regarding the same on its WhatsApp helpline.
The message accompanying the video reads:
"सनी देओल को धक्के मार कर किया गया गुरुद्वारा साहिब से बाहर ...
पब्लिक ने कहा bjp का दलाल"
(Translated: Sunny Deol was pushed out of a Gurdwara by the public, said he is BJP's broker/agent)
TRUE OR FALSE?
The claims made in the video are false, Deol was not pushed out of any Gurdwara. The video is, in fact, from his visit to the Dera Baba Nank Gurdwara in Gurdaspur.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
An internet search for the words, 'Sunny Deol Gurdwara', led us to news reports of Deol having visited the Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara in Gurdaspur on 1 May.
A video uploaded by The Indian Express showed Deol in the same outfit as the one in the viral video. Further, the location of the video also matched with the news report on his visit to the Dera Baba Nanak Gurdwara.
The Quint also got in touch with a local reporter who was present on spot at Deol's rally, who confirmed that the video had been circulated with a false claim.
"The two men seen arguing and hitting each other are Shiromani Akali Dal workers from different areas. They got into a brawl over their power and authority in the Dera Baba Nanak region. Sunny Deol had nothing to do with this," the reporter said.
Meanwhile, no news reports make any mention of Deol being stopped from entering the Gurdwara by the public. In fact, several video reports show Deol offering prayers inside the Gurdwara as well.
As can be seen in The Indian Express video from a different angle, Deol was not denied entry, but instead was surrounded by a swarm of supporters who were enthusiastic to meet him, with his bodyguards attempting to shield him from the crowd and into his car.
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