Amid the controversy surrounding suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad, a video showing Naga Sadhus rallying on the streets in large numbers, is being shared on social media.
The claim states that the Sadhus, or the Hindu holy men, are extending their support to Sharma.
However, the claim is not true as the video dates back to 2021 when Sadhus participated in Haridwar's Kumbh Mela. We have debunked several such claims and you can read them here.
THE CLAIM
The caption shared with the viral video mentions that over 18 lakh Naga Sadhus are seen in the video, who came out in support of Nupur Sharma.
An archived version of the post can be seen here.
(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
Upon conducting a keyword search on Google using the term 'Naga Sadhus rally' in Hindi, we came across a YouTube video uploaded by a YouTube channel called 'Paryatansathi' on 7 April 2021.
The viral clip can be seen around the 0:32-second timestamp.
The video's title suggested that it was shot in 2021 when Naga Sadhus were proceeding for shahi snan at the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand's Haridwar.
Similarities can be noticed between the viral clip and the YouTube video from 2021.
The original video was shot in 2021 and shows Naga Sadhus on their way to take a dip in the river during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
We found another clearer video on Facebook, which was from the same location and showed a similar procession.
Comparison between the Facebook video and the viral video.
(Photo: Facebook/Altered by The Quint)
Taking a cue, we looked for 'Randhir Book Shop' in Haridwar, Uttarakhand to confirm the location and found the same shop's board on Google Maps.
The bookshop is located in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
(Source: Altered by The Quint)
Next, we also found a series of photos of the 2021 Kumbh Mela by news agency Reuters.
The Reuters report carried a picture of Naga Sadhus in Haridwar's Kumbh Mela, making their way towards the Ganges river to take a dip.
Kumbh Mela article by Reuters.
(Photo: Reuters/Screenshot)
Further, we could not find any reports about Sadhus coming out to support Sharma's comments against Prophet Muhammad.
Evidently, an old video of Naga Sadhus from the 2021 Kumbh Mela is being falsely linked to them extending support to Nupur Sharma.
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