Old Video From Odisha Peddled As BJP Leaders Thrashed In Tamil Nadu

FactCheck

BOOM fact checked the video in 2024 and found that it shows a clash between BJP leaders in Odisha's Balangir which happened in October 2023. We then went through comments under the viral video and noticed that a user pointed out that the video was from Balangir, Odisha, and showed two BJP factions clashing. Following this lead, we ran a related keyword search and found a local news report published by Kalinga TV from October 9, 2023, carrying similar visuals. The report stated that BJP Odisha's state president, Manmohan Samal, and MP Sangeeta Singh Deo were rallying in the area when two other members, Anant Das and Balram Singh Yadav, attempted to present them with a bouquet of flowers. BJP leader Gopalji Panigrahi allegedly stopped them, leading to a scuffle between them, the report added. Odisha Bytes and The New Indian Express also reported on the incident, stating that it took place during the BJP's 'Mo Mati Mo Desha' programme. Following the clash, Gopalji Panigrahi filed an FIR at a local police station, and sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Tofan Bag confirmed the incident.