Did Shankaracharya Reprimand Yogi About Maha Kumbh On A Video Call?

Claim: Video shows Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand reprimanding Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the Maha Kumbh stampede.

Fact: BOOM found that the video shows Shankaracharya interacting with a Gujarati news outlet Jamawat on a video call and not Yogi Adityanath.

Tools used: The video has an 'Exclusive Chauchak Media’ watermark on it. The viral video was uploaded on Chauchak Media's YouTube channel on 5 February 2025. In the comments section, many users pointed out that Shankaracharya's remarks in the viral video are a part of an interview given to a news outlet. Taking a hint, we ran a relevant keyword search and found an interview uploaded on the YouTube channel of a Gujarati news outlet called ‘Jamawat’. Shankaracharya can be heard making the same remarks as in the viral video when asked about stampedes happening in Kumbh gatherings.

Read the full fact-check here.