With polling beginning for Assembly elections in some states and a festive week ahead, social media saw a range of misinformation being shared this week. Here is a recap of some of the most viral claims we debunked.
1. Fact-Check: No, Supreme Court Did Not ‘Ban’ Firecrackers Across India
While hearing an application seeking to ban the use of certain firecrackers in Rajasthan on Tuesday, 7 November, the Supreme Court of India clarified its earlier directions from 2021 against the use of barium and banned chemicals in firecrackers, and said that they are applicable to all of India, not just Delhi-NCR.
However, several social media users claimed that the apex court has issued a "complete ban on firecrackers" across the country.
An archive of this post can be seen here.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
The claim is misleading.
There is no complete ban on firecrackers in India, the Supreme Court has issued regulations against barium-based chemicals in firecrackers.
The apex court said that the restrictions were applicable to all states in India and not only the Delhi-NCR region
You can read our fact-check here.
2. Glenn Maxwell Is NOT the 'First Australian To Score a World Cup Double Century'
After Australia secured a win against Afghanistan during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on 7 November, social media users shared posts claiming that Glenn Maxwell – who scored an undefeated 201 runs leading Australia to victory – was the first Australian player to score a double century.
However, this is false. The first Australian to score over 200 runs in an innings is former Australian cricketer Belinda Clark, who was also the first cricketer to ever score a double century back in 1997.
You can read our fact-check here.
3. Fact-Check: Old, Edited Video From Karnataka Falsely Shared as One From Ujjain
Social media users shared a video of a procession passing in front of a mosque, claiming that people from the Hindu community in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh raised provocative, anti-Pakistan slogans.
This, users claimed, was a response to people from the city's Muslim community raising pro-Pakistan slogans during a Muharram procession.
The video and audio are taken from two different incidents.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
However, the video has been edited to include audio from another incident.
The video shows a 2018 Ram Navami procession in Gulbarga, Karnataka.
The audio in the viral claim was taken from a 2018 video of a Ganpati visarjan in Thane, Maharashtra.
You can read our fact-check here.
4. Edited Video Shared to Claim PM Modi Said ‘Hindutva Is a Card Trick For BJP’
A old video interview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going viral on social media to claim that he stated that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) uses 'Hindutva as a card trick during elections'.
An archive of this post can be seen here.
(Source: X/Screenshot)
We found that the video was clipped and edited. In the original video, PM Modi specifies that 'Hindutva is not a trick for the BJP to play during elections'.
Read our fact-check here.
5. Old Video Shared as Recent Visuals From Attack on Pakistan’s Mianwali Airbase
A video showing a Pakistani aircraft on fire went viral on social media, where users shared it as visuals of the terrorist attack on Pakistan Air Force's Mianwali Training Air Base on Saturday, 4 November.
The video dates back to May 2023 and has no connection to the attack on Pakistan's Mianwali Training Air Base.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
However, the video has been on the internet since May 2023 and shows protestors vandalising and setting a dummy aircraft on a fireoutside the Mianwali airbase amid protests by supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Read our fact-check here.
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