Farm Bills Protest: 2013 Photo Shared As Recent
BOOM found that the viral photo is from 2013 taken in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
A nearly seven-year-old photo of a policeman in riot gear pointing a gun at an old man aiming a brick at him is being shared online as the recent protests against three contentious farm bills.
The photo is being shared in the backdrop of the contentious agricultural reform bills that were passed in the Rajya Sabha with voice voting on September 21, 2020, and the massive protests by farmers, farmer unions and agricultural activists in Haryana and Punjab against these bills.
Also Read: Why Are The Farm Reform Bills Stirring Protests Among Farmers?
The viral image is being shared by several Congress Party leaders and handles with the caption when translated reads, "Whoever raised their voice for their rights against Modi ji, you have lathi-charged everyone #kishanVirodhiNarendraModi"
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
(In Hindi - जिस जिस ने अपने अधिकार की आवाज उठाई मोदी जी आपने सभी पर लाठियां बरसाई है... #kishanVirodhiNarendraModi)
Congress's student wing National Students Union of India's (NSUI) National Secretary Satveer Choudhary shared the viral photo with the caption when translated reads, "Do not kill me with bullets, I am already a miserable person ..! The reason behind my death is that I am a farmer by profession."
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
(In Hindi - मत मारो गोलियो से मुझे मैं पहले से एक दुखी इंसान हूँ..! मेरी मौत कि वजह यही हैं कि मैं पेशे से एक किसान हूँ..! #KisanVirodhiNarendraModi)
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
Click here to view, and here for an archive.
Also Read: 2017 Rajasthan Protest Photo Viral As Recent Haryana Farmer Protests
FACT-CHECK
We found that the viral photo is from September 2013, taken in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh and not related to the recent farmer protests against the farm bills which were recently passed by parliament.
BOOM had previously debunked the same image back in October 2018 when it was being falsely shared as that of a farmer being attacked by police in the background of police using force to stop the farmer's protest march from entering Delhi on October 2, 2018.
Also Read: 2013 Meerut Image Shared As That Of Farmer Protest In Delhi
A reverse image search using Google showed search results showed that the photo was carried by news reports dated September 30, 2013, stating it was taken in Khera village, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Days after the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013, villagers had clashed with police forces at the venue of a mahapanchayat that had been banned by the administration in neighbouring Meerut district reported The Indian Express.
The article carried the viral photo crediting it to news agency PTI with the caption, "A security officer takes on a villager during the clash in Khera on Sunday"
Villagers had gathered in Khera village in Sarghana, Merrut for a mahapanchayat to protest against the arrest and slapping of National Security Act on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Sangeet Singh Som in connection with the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots the report further stated.
BOOM has previously debunked unrelated photo from a 2017 Rajasthan protest which was falsely shared as recent farmer protests in Haryana.
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