A picture showing a group of burqa-clad women on a dais with 'Dilli Morcha' (Delhi Rally) written in the background is viral on social media with captions and hashtags purportedly claiming that they are 'fake farmers' out to hijack the protest. The hashtags with the picture include words like 'Khalistan, Khalistani, Farmers Protest Hijacked.'
BOOM found that the viral picture is from Ghazipur border where a group of Muslim women from Malerkotla, Punjab had reached to lend support to the protesting farmers. BOOM traced the picture to the social media handles of Bharti Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan, a non-political farmers' union.
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BOOM has earlier busted several pieces of misinformation around the ongoing farmers' protest, and viral posts linking the protesters to Khalistan.
The viral picture has been tweeted with a Hindi caption translating to 'These are the ones who would not show their papers'.
(Hindi: ये वहीं हैं...जो कागज नहीं दिखाएंगे #Khalistan #khalistani #FarmersProtestHijacked #Ghazipur #border #FarmersProtest #किसान_आंदोलन #Tikait)
The same picture has been shared from several Facebook pages with the same caption.
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Fact Check
BOOM did a reverse image search and found a similar picture uploaded on the Facebook page Bharti Kisan Union Ekta Ugrahan on January 14, 2021.
The picture has been taken from a slightly different angle.
We found the same picture uploaded on the Instagram handle of BKU Ekta Ugrahan.
The Gurmukhi caption with the picture translates to 'The Muslim community came out in support of the farmers. A group of Muslim women from Malerkotla (Punjab) reached the Pakora Chowk stage. They sang revolutionary songs and also addressed'.
(Gurmukhi: ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਭਾਈਚਾਰਾ ਕਿਸਾਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਮਰਥਨ ਵਿਚ ਆਇਆ ਮਾਲੇਰਕੋਟਲਾ (ਪੰਜਾਬ) ਤੋਂ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਦਾ ਜੱਥਾ ਪਕੌੜਾ ਚੌਂਕ ਸਟੇਜ ਤੇ ਪਹੁੰਚਿਆ। ਇਨਕਲਾਬੀ ਗੀਤ ਗਾਏ, ਸੰਬੋਧਨ ਵੀ ਕੀਤਾ)
BOOM then contacted one of the members the BKU Ekta Ugrahan to get more information on the picture who told us that the picture was clicked near Ghazipur border on January 14.
"A group of women from Malerkotla had come to Ghazipur border to extend support to farmers. This is a farmers' protest so people from all religion and faith are coming in support. This group comprised students and family members of farmers as well," the BKU Ekta Ugrahan member told BOOM.
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