Fact Check: Viral video shows demolition of dargah in Guntur, not temple in Kerala
A video is widely being shared on social media in which a man wearing a skull cap and kurta is seen demolishing the gate of what appears to be a religious structure.
The video is shared with a caption that suggests that Muslims are demolishing a Hindu temple in Kerala.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “यह है केरल के हालात, जहां हिन्दू अपने मंदिरों को चाह कर भी नहीं बचा पा रहे है। अगला नंबर कर्नाटका का
सेक्युलर हिन्दू सोते रहो और मोदी योगी को गाली देते रहो...और अपने शहर मे इनका इंतजार करो.” (English translation, “This is the situation in Kerala, where Hindus are not able to save their temples even if they want to. Karnataka is next
Secular Hindus keep sleeping and keep abusing Modi Yogi...And wait for them in your city.”)
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The video is from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, where the Ashraf Muslims were destroying the dargah which was taken care by Pasmanda Muslims.
On doing a Google reverse image search, we found the same video shared on the Facebook page of Satya Kumar Y, minister of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education in the Government of Andhra Pradesh, on October 14, 2022. The caption claimed that Ashraf Muslims in AP’s Guntur had demolished the dargah revered by BC Nagoor Meera and Dudekula Pasmanda Muslims.
Taking a clue, we searched with appropriate keywords and found a screenshot of the video uploaded by India Today on October 18, 2022. The report was titled ‘Tensions over dargah being demolished to build Mosque in Andhra’s Guntur; situation under control, say cops.’
The report suggested that on October 12, 2022, some people tried to demolish a dargah situated at LB Nagar in Guntur, when the locals intervened and stopped them. The report further suggested that the people belonging to all communities have been offering prayers at the dargah for the past 40 years.
Live Hindustan had also reported about the incident.
Hence, we can ascertain that the viral video is of people demolishing a dargah in Andhra Pradesh and not a temple in Kerala.
