On May 12, 2024, a 13-second-long video was circulated on social media with several users claiming it to be people from various cities going to join protests in AJK’s Muzaffarabad. However, the video is actually of an Indian election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur organised by the Congress party.
People from various cities heading towards AJK’s Muzaffarabad to join protests
The iVerify Pakistan team has checked this content and established that it is false.
To arrive at this verdict, the iVerify Pakistan team investigated the viral rally video.
On May 12, 2024, an X user, who appeared to be a PTI supporter based on their past posts, shared a 13-second long video, showing three vehicles in a rally with a huge crowd.
The post’s caption said: “Inhabitants from various cities are gathering and heading towards Muzaffarabad. This is the power of the people.”
The post gained over 13,400 views.
Journalist and political analyst Anwar Lodhi also shared the video on May 13 with the caption, “A huge rally in Azad Kashmir.”
The post was viewed 63,500 times and the video was shared by many other users on X as well.
The iVerify Pakistan team sought to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and because of the ongoing tensions between protesters and police in Azad Jammu and Kashmir since May 10.
To investigate the claim, the iVerify Pakistan team ran a screenshot of the viral video through a reverse image search.
The search yielded an X post from the official account of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee dated April 17, 2024.
The party had uploaded a 49-second long video, showing the same rally consisting of vehicles and a huge crowd.
The caption said: “Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s roadshow in Saharanpur, UP.”
The post gained over 6,200 views.
Further investigation led to an April 18, 2024, news report from Indian media outlet Indian Express titled: “They are worshippers of satta: Priyanka Gandhi hits out at BJP in Saharanpur roadshow”.
The report said that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on April 17 launched a “scathing attack on the government over farm loans, electoral bonds, unemployment and demonetisation”.
It said she drew a “sea of supporters” in a rally which began from Saharanpur’s Gol Kothi and concluded at Qutub Sher Chowk.
Several Indian media outlets also covered the event on April 17, videos of which can be found here, here, and here.
According to a Dawn.com report, Muzaffarabad witnessed confrontations between police and protesters in different neighbourhoods over the weekend.
The strike call was given by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee for May 10 after several of its leaders and activists were arrested by police in overnight raids in different parts of Muzaffarabad and Mirpur divisions.
The action committee has been seeking the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, subsidised wheat flour and an end to elite privileges.
Meanwhile, the Indian elections began on April 19 and will run till June 1.
The iVerify Pakistan team has determined that the claim regarding the viral video of people moving towards Muzaffarabad to join the protests is false.
The rally video actually is from Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur where Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra conducted a roadshow for the Indian elections.
April 17, 2024, Congress Kerala X post:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240513095314/https://twitter.com/INCKerala/status/1780531918628442480
April 18, 2024, Indian Express report:
https://indianexpress.com/elections/they-are-worshippers-of-satta-priyanka-gandhi-hits-out-at-bjp-in-saharanpur-roadshow-9276566/
