The official X handle of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal unit shared eight old and unrelated photos in the form of a collage purpotedly aiming to show communal riots at Hindu festivals in the state.
Three people died and several more were injured in the communal violence reported in Murshidabad earlier this month. According to media outlets, state police have arrested at least 200 people for the unrest. While the situation still remains tense in the region, the BJP and All India Trinamool Congress government in the state, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continue to exchange barbs and blame games for the violence.
BOOM found that the official WB BJP account shared a communal post, aiming to show that Muslims caused communal riots on Hindu festivals. The post containing a collage of nine images, shows burning vehicles, stone pelting and violence.
The communally sensitive post by the handle @BJP4Bengal has since been withheld in India by X, in response to a legal motion.
The photo collage was posted on April 13, 2025 with a caption in Bangla and English.
The English text claims, "Doesn’t matter the festival — they just need an excuse to burn it all down" and the Bangla text translates to, "Mamata Banerjee’s milk cows just need an excuse!"
Click here to view, and here for an archive
The same collage has since gone viral on Facebook with the same false claim.
FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that eight of the nine images in the collage are from the protests held country-wide against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019.
Only one of picture in the collage relates to an incident of communal violence on the same as a Hindu festival. We were able to match the picture claiming to show violence during Ram Navami with news reports from March 2023 about unrest during a procession for the festival in Howrah, West Bengal.
The other eight images are unrelated to Hindu festivals and were taken during anti-CAA protests in 2019. Out of the eight only three are from West Bengal, with the rest showing 2019 anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Assam.
1. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT GANESH CHATURTHI
CLAIM : The photo shows a man in front of a burning pile of police barricades with his hands raised and is being shared claiming riots at Ganesh festival.
FACT CHECK: The image is from West Bengal but shows violent anti-CAA protests in Satragachi area of Howrah district in the state. BOOM found the photo published on December 14, 2019 by several media outlets crediting the Indian news agency, Press Trust of India (PTI).
2. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT SARASWATI PUJA
CLAIM: The photo shows protesters pelting stones with smoke emanating from burning vehicles and is viral as riots at Saraswati Puja, a festival widely celebrated in WB
FACT CHECK : BOOM found the image is from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh when anti-CAA protesters clashed with police at Parivartan Chowk area in the city. The image was published on December 20, 2019 by several media outlets crediting PTI.
3. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT DUSSHERA
CLAIM : The photo shows a group of protesters with their faces covered, pelting stones with burning vehicles next to them. It is being shared as violence in West Bengal during the Hindu festival Dusshera
FACT CHECK : BOOM found that this photo too is from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. We were able to verifiy that this photo and the one used to claim violence at Saraswati Puja are the same, with this image a cropped version.
The original photo was published by wire agency Associated Press (AP) and republished by several media outlets including Times Of India, in their reports on the incident.
4. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT HOLI
CLAIM: The image shows smoke engulfing a street as protesters set vehicles on fire and pelt stones and is being shared communal riots in West Bengal on the festival of Holi.
FACT CHECK: BOOM found that photo is Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It was published by the Indian Express on December 27, 2019, crediting their photographer, in their reporting of violent anti-CAA protests in the region.
5. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW COMMUNAL RIOTS AT DIWALI
CLAIM: The image shows scenes of violence with protesters carrying away an injured protester and is viral claiming communal violence in West Bengal on Diwali
FACT CHECK: The photo is from Mangaluru, Karnataka. The original image was published by The Hindu on December 20, 2019 and shows an injured K. Ashraf, the then Mayor of Mangaluru being helped by protesters.
6. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT DURGA PUJA
CLAIM: The photo shows protesters armed with sticks and pelting stones and is viral as communal riots during Durga Puja in West Bengal.
FACT CHECK: The photo is from West Bengal but shows violent anti-CAA protests. The original photo was published on December 15, 2019 by The Indian Express while reporting on protesters blocking the the Kona Expressway in Howrah, West Bengal.
7. PHOTO CLAIMING TO SHOW VIOLENCE AT HANUMAN JAYANTI
CLAIM: The photo in the collage shows violent scenes with protesters setting alight vehicles and is being shared as communal violence at Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in West Bengal.
Fact: The photo is from Mangaluru, Karnataka. The picture published by wire agency Reuters on December 19, 2019 in a report over casualties at the anti-CAA protest held in the southern Indian district.
8. PHOTO CLAIMS TO SHOWS RIOTS AT SANKRANTI
CLAIM: The photo show sprotesters setting vehicles on fire, while blocking a road and is viral claiming communal riots at Sankranti festival in West Bengal
FACT CHECK: The photo is from Dibrugarh in Assam. The image was published by India Today on December 12, 2019 while reporting on violent protests in the region against CAA where protesters burnt a bus terminal.
Additionally the West Bengal police in a post on X called out the viral collage as fake.
