In today’s fast-paced digital world, misinformation spreads rapidly, and fact-checkers play a crucial role in maintaining truth and transparency. However, when fact-checkers become entangled in spreading false claims, their credibility becomes questionable. Mohammed Zubair, a Google-certified fact-checker, has been under scrutiny for consistently misrepresenting facts and spreading inaccurate information. Trained by a USAID-funded organisation, Zubair’s claims have been examined and fact-checked by a people-funded nonprofit, revealing 40 major mistakes.
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami’s Road Show
After safely evacuating 41 workers from the tunnel, it was falsely claimed that CM Pushkar Singh Dhami held a road show in Haldwani. In fact, CM Dhami had arrived in Haldwani to attend the pre-planned Eja Baini Mahotsav, and the event had no connection to any rescue operation or road show.
Kashmiri Youth Beaten in Lucknow
The incident in Lucknow involving Kashmiri Muslim youth was not due to religious harassment. They were selling goods in no-vending zones, and the issue was related to that. There was no evidence of administration mistreatment or discrimination. The claim mischaracterised the events and promoted misinformation.
Fake Suspension of Acharya Pramod
A viral letter falsely claimed that Acharya Pramod was suspended from the Congress Party. Upon investigation, it was confirmed to be a doctored and fake document. The letter was designed to mislead and create confusion about his political standing. The claim was baseless and lacked any factual foundation.
Manipur Security Forces Arresting Students
The individuals arrested by Manipur Police were not students, as claimed, but stone pelters involved in violent activities. The initial claim misled the public by labelling them as students. The situation was one of unrest and not linked to student protests. Accurate information clarified that they were involved in criminal activities.
PFI Rally and Slogans
A viral claim that a PFI rally raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans, instead of ‘SDPI Zindabad,’ was fact-checked. Forensic investigations confirmed that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were indeed chanted. The original claim about the rally’s slogan was later proven true. The narrative surrounding the event was clarified through thorough verification.
South African Reception of PM Modi
The claim that South Africa sent a low-ranked minister to receive PM Modi, while Chinese President Xi was welcomed by the South African President, was proven false. The South African government denied this, calling it a fabricated report. Such misinformation attempted to create a diplomatic rift. The facts, however, cleared any misunderstandings.
Anju George’s Alleged BJP Membership
Anju George was never part of the BJP, and she rejected reports of joining the party in 2019. This claim spread confusion about her political affiliations. The story falsely attached her name to the BJP without her consent or involvement. The claim was debunked after thorough fact-checking.
Hijab Row in Karnataka
During the Karnataka hijab controversy, Zubair shared a video claiming that college rules allowed hijabs. However, the college allowed scarves, not hijabs specifically. The college guidelines were misinterpreted, misleading the public. There was no mention of hijabs in the official rules, contrary to the claim.
Smriti Irani’s Statement on Free Vaccines
Smriti Irani did not refer to free vaccines when asked about high gas prices. She was discussing the Ujjwala scheme, which provides free LPG connections. The initial claim confused her statements about vaccines with gas cylinder prices. Irani’s focus was on the benefits of the Ujjwala scheme, not vaccines.
Preetam Gowda’s Alleged Threat to Muslims
BJP MLA Preetam Gowda was misquoted as threatening Muslims to vote for him in exchange for development work. His speech was misinterpreted; he expressed disappointment over past elections but did not threaten any community. The misrepresentation twisted his words into something they were not. The actual statement reflected his frustration with past electoral experiences.
Kashmiri Pandit’s Criticism of BJP and ‘The Kashmir Files’
The woman in the video criticising the BJP and ‘The Kashmir Files’ was actually a Congress worker, a detail Zubair failed to disclose. The video misrepresented her political affiliations to mislead the audience. The claim painted the woman as an impartial critic when, in fact, she had party ties. The lack of full disclosure distorted the narrative.
Golu Gurjar Video Incident
A viral video showed Golu Gurjar and his friends thrashing Mohsin with slippers, which was falsely portrayed as communal violence. The incident was not about religion but a personal dispute between the two. The false communal angle was introduced without context, adding a layer of misinformation. The actual issue was a conflict between the individuals involved.
Pappu Qureshi and Nuh Violence
Pappu Qureshi, who was alleged to blame Bittu Bajrangi for the Nuh violence, had in fact declared himself a Congress supporter in 2023. His political alignment was inaccurately portrayed, fueling misinformation. The old rivalry between Qureshi and Bajrangi was not relevant to the Nuh violence. The political context was misrepresented to create a false narrative.
India’s Contribution to the UN Democracy Fund
The claim that India was one of the top donors to the UN Democracy Fund linked to George Soros was based on outdated data from 2002-2012. India’s contributions since 2014 have significantly decreased. The claim failed to reflect the actual donations under the current government. The misleading claim used historical figures to distort current facts.
Israel and Gaza’s Ahli Arab City Hospital
The claim that Israeli Defense Forces attacked Gaza’s Ahli Arab City Hospital was false. It was confirmed that the hospital was attacked by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group, not Israel. The attribution to Israeli forces was incorrect and misleading. Investigations revealed that the hospital was targeted by militants, not the IDF.
BJP and Wrestling Federation of India
The claim that BJP appointed Sanjay Singh as President of the Wrestling Federation of India was incorrect. The President of WFI is elected, not appointed, through a democratic process. No political party has the authority to appoint the president of WFI. The election process was misrepresented to suggest political interference.
Bulandshahr Incident and Dalit Youth
The claim that village head Yogendra Sharma stopped a Dalit youth’s wedding procession due to caste discrimination was false. The dispute was actually about a vehicle that needed removal, not a caste issue. The original claim created unnecessary tension over an unrelated matter. The truth clarified the incident as a personal disagreement, not caste-based harassment.
NMC Logo and Lord Dhanvantari’s Image
The claim that the national symbol was replaced with Lord Dhanvantari’s image in the NMC logo was inaccurate. Dhanvantari’s image had been part of the logo but was just coloured in an updated version. There was no major alteration to the design of the logo. The claim exaggerated a minor change to create controversy.
PM Modi’s Job Promise
The claim that PM Modi promised two crore jobs every year was a misunderstanding. This was a promise made by the Congress Party in their 2004 manifesto, not by Modi. Modi raised questions about the promise during a 2013 rally, but did not make any such commitment. The claim inaccurately attributed a past Congress promise to the current PM.
PM Modi’s Rs 15 Lakh Promise
The claim that PM Modi promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account was taken out of context. He was referring to black money being stashed abroad, not an election promise. The statement about black money was misunderstood and misrepresented as a direct financial promise. The misinterpretation created false expectations.
BJP Alliance with SDPI in Karnataka
The claim that the BJP formed an alliance with SDPI in the Karnataka Gram Panchayat elections was incorrect. Cross-voting by two BJP members led to confusion, but the BJP had no official alliance with SDPI. The Election Commission had instructed candidates to avoid party symbols during the elections. The claim was based on a misunderstanding of internal party dynamics.
Muslim Man and Beard Incident
The viral story about a Muslim man being threatened, beaten, and having his beard forcefully cut off by Hindus was misleading. The incident had no communal angle; the perpetrators were from the same community as the victim. The story misrepresented the nature of the dispute, turning it into a communal issue when it was not. Facts revealed that it was a personal matter unrelated to religion.
Jay Shah and the Indian Flag
The claim that Jay Shah insulted the Indian flag by not holding it during an ICC event was unfounded. ICC rules prevent officials from holding national symbols, which was the reason Shah did not hold the flag. The claim misrepresented the rules of the ICC and attempted to create a controversy. The clarification put the issue to rest by explaining the protocol.
Solapur Fire and Modi’s Appeal
The fire in Solapur was falsely linked to Narendra Modi’s appeal during the coronavirus period. In reality, the fire occurred in February 2020, long before Modi’s appeal. The claim misrepresented the timeline and had no connection to the Prime Minister’s actions. The false attribution sought to associate an unrelated tragedy with political events.
Nalhar Shiva Mandir Attack
The Nalhar Shiva Mandir in Nuh was indeed attacked by radicals during the violence. Stones were thrown, and bullets were fired at the temple. The temple suffered damage during the violent outbreak. Claims attempting to downplay the attack were quickly debunked with evidence.
Bajrang Dal Video with Guns
Zubair shared a video of Bajrang Dal ‘activists’ with guns, but crucial context was omitted. The video edited by Zubair failed to show that Muslim radicals were also involved in violent acts. The video was selectively cut to misrepresent the situation. The full footage showed a more complex reality involving both sides.
Muslim Man Performing Last Rites
The viral claim that a Muslim man performed the last rites for a deceased young man who had no family present was inaccurate. The deceased’s family was present, and it was his brother who performed the last rites. The original claim ignored the presence of the family and misrepresented the situation. The truth revealed that there was no religious angle involved in the incident.
Gopaldas and COVID during Mandir Inauguration
An image shared claiming Mahant Nitya Gopaldas of the Ram Mandir Trust was COVID-positive during the inauguration was edited. Gopaldas had no such diagnosis during the event. The image was manipulated to create a misleading narrative. The truth clarified that Gopaldas had not tested positive for COVID at the time.
EVM Theft Allegation during Delhi Elections
The claim that BJP workers were caught stealing EVMs during the Delhi elections was false. The EVM in question was a reserve machine meant for emergencies. There was no evidence of election fraud, and the incident was misrepresented. The original context of the EVM was ignored in the claim.
Farmer-Police Clash Photo Misleading
Zubair shared a photo of a farmer-police clash, which he incorrectly portrayed as evidence of terrorism. The image was from 2013 and had no connection to the farmers’ protests. The manipulation of the photo misrepresented the timeline and events. The fact-check showed that the image was unrelated to the claimed incident.
Parody Video Mistaken for Delhi Protest
A video from a parody account was mistakenly presented as part of a Delhi protest. The video was actually from a Maratha Kranti Morcha protest held in Mumbai. The misattribution led to the spread of misinformation about the location and participants. The correction clarified the actual context of the video.
Yediyurappa and Tipu Jayanti Celebration
The claim that Yediyurappa celebrated Tipu Jayanti was debunked. The photo was from a 2013 Karnataka Janta Paksha Minority Conference, not related to Tipu Jayanti. The original claim misled the public by connecting a 2013 event to Tipu Jayanti. The truth revealed that there was no connection to the controversial event.
Dalit Youth Shot for Entering Mandir
The claim that a Dalit youth was shot for entering a temple was false. The incident was actually related to a personal financial dispute, not caste-based violence. The misunderstanding turned a private issue into a communal allegation. Fact-checking revealed that caste was not involved in the conflict.
Zubair’s Fake Kandhalvi Audio Report
Zubair shared a report calling the audio of Kandhalvi fake, but the Delhi Police refuted this claim. The police stated that the report was speculative and factually incorrect. The audio’s authenticity had been questioned, but it was not fake as claimed. The clarification disproved the misleading report.
Vishva Hindu Parishad Anti-National Slogans
A video claimed that Vishva Hindu Parishad raised anti-national slogans, including ‘Hindustan Murdabad.’ However, the Gonda Police clarified that the video was fake, and the slogans were never raised. The false allegations were thoroughly debunked. Police investigations found no evidence supporting the claim.
Bihar Bridge Collapse after One Month
The claim that a Rs 263 crore bridge in Bihar collapsed after a month was misleading. The image shared by Zubair was of a different bridge, not the newly constructed one. The false claim misrepresented the facts surrounding the bridge’s construction. The original bridge was not the one in question.
Raghuram Rajan on Islamic Banking Report
The claim about Raghuram Rajan chairing a report on Islamic banking in 2008 was correct, but the context was misinterpreted. The report recommended interest-free banking for certain faiths, but the claim mischaracterised the nature of the report. It was not a controversial decision, but a suggestion for specific banking services. The misunderstanding arose from a lack of proper context.
RSS Worker and Hotel Cashier Incident
The claim that an RSS worker punched a hotel cashier for refusing free biryani was false. The individual involved was a DMK worker, not an RSS member. The incident was misattributed to the wrong political group. The truth revealed that the attacker’s political affiliation had been misrepresented.
Zubair’s Farmer-Police Photo Misleading
Zubair shared a photo of a lone farmer being beaten by police, which was misleadingly captioned. The full picture showed several people attacking the police, altering the context entirely. The photo was presented without proper context, leading to the spread of misinformation. Fact-checking revealed the true context of the image.
Teacher and Hindu-Muslim Child Incident in Muzaffarnagar
The claim that a teacher made Hindu children beat a Muslim child in a school in Muzaffarnagar is false. The viral video misrepresented the situation, as both Hindu and Muslim students were involved in slapping the child. While the teacher’s punishment was inappropriate, it was not based on religious discrimination. The incident was a result of improper disciplinary actions, not communal bias.
The 40 false claims made by Mohammed Zubair highlight the dangerous consequences of misinformation, especially when spread by individuals with significant influence in the media and fact-checking sectors.
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