A photo of a Janata Dal Secular member photographed wearing a sweatshirt and jeans has been misidentified on social media as Muskan Khan - the burqa wearing Muslim student who stood up against a group of boys wearing saffron scarves and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in Karnataka recently.
However, BOOM found that the first photo is of Najma Nazeer Chikkanarale, a member of Janata Dal (Secular) Karnataka, who also confirmed to us that it is her photo has been misused and is being misidentified as Muskan Khan.
Also Read: Karnataka Hijab Row: Photos Of JDS Member Peddled With Misleading Claims
The ongoing Hijab controversy in Karnataka sparked off violence and protest in the state as students with saffron shawls protesting against Muslim girls wearing hijab in educational institutions on January 8, 2022. A video outside PES college in Mandya, Karnataka soon went viral where Khan can be walking alone and being heckled by a group of boys wearing saffron shawls and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. As she walks away, Khan chants in response 'Allah-hu-Akbar' against the group of boys heckling her.
The viral graphic was tweeted by right-wing page Kreately, with the caption "Light the lights of Liberal gang propaganda."
Click here to view an archive
The same graphic is also being widely shared on Facebook with the misleading caption while making sexist comparisons.
Click here to view an archive
FACT-CHECK
BOOM found the woman in the first photo is Najma Nazeer Chikkanarale, a member of Janata Dal (Secular) Karnataka, and not student Muskan Khan from Mandya, Karnataka.
Chikkanarale is a member and currently a Committee observer at the Janata Dal Secular party in Karnataka and not a college student. BOOM contacted Chikkanarale who confirmed that the woman in the first photo is her saying, "this is my photo. It's picked up from my social media profile and is quite old. We have the constitutional right to wear what we want."
Chikkanarale had posted the original photo in May 2018 on her Facebook account, which was picked and misused by several right-wing handles.
Click here to view
Other old photos and some morphed photos of Chikkanerale have also been shared on social media by right-wing handles to troll her for wearing a hijab.
Read here: Karnataka Hijab Row: Photos Of JDS Member Peddled With Misleading Claims
