BJP Shares Old Video Showing Poor Condition of Punjab School As Recent
BOOM found that the video is actually from 2018, when Punjab was governed by the Congress.
The Punjab BJP and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh recently shared a video showing a man highlighting the poor condition of toilets meant for female students at a government school in Jalla village, Fatehgarh Sahib district, ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The BJP shared the video while questioning Bhagwant Mann's education system and claimed that the condition of the toilets exposed the shortcomings of the Aam Aadmi Party's education model.
BOOM found that the viral video is from 2018. At the time, Punjab was governed by the Congress, and Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister.
The Claim
The Punjab BJP shared the video with a Punjabi caption targeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. It said, "The pathetic condition of toilets built for female students is exposing the shortcomings of the Aam Aadmi Party's education model."
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BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari, BJP Chandigarh and several other users also shared the video with the same claim.
What We Found: Video Is Old, Not Recent
1. Video is from 2018: A search using relevant keywords led us to the original video on a YouTube channel named Daas Harjit Singh. The video was uploaded on August 6, 2018, confirming that it is not recent.
According to the information accompanying the video, it was filmed at a government school in Jalla village, Fatehgarh Sahib district. It highlighted the problems faced by female students due to the lack of proper toilet facilities. The information also stated that the video was made by the Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust.
2. Punjab was ruled by the Congress at the time: We found that Punjab was governed by the Congress in 2018, with Captain Amarinder Singh serving as the Chief Minister. The Aam Aadmi Party government came to power in 2022, with Bhagwant Mann becoming Chief Minister.
It should be noted that Captain Amarinder Singh is currently with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He joined the BJP in September 2022.
3. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains visited the school: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains refuted the BJP's claim by sharing a video showing him visiting the same school.
The video of his visit shows smart boards in classrooms, a computer lab, clean toilets, and a sanitary pad vending machine in the toilet meant for female students. Harjot Singh Bains also rejected the BJP's claim during a press conference.
