A photo showing a meeting of Youth Congress workers in Bengaluru where they can be seen folding their hands in a gesture to offer Islamic prayers, is being shared with a misleading and communal claims online.
The image was taken on the occasion of Youth Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad taking charge as the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (KPYCC).
However, BOOM found that along with Islamic prayers even Hindu rituals including a havan was performed at the event.
The photo is shared on Facebook and Twitter by Bharatiya Janata Party supporters alleging minority appeasement by the Congress party.
The Hindi caption circulating with the photo claims, "Karnataka Youth Congress office inauguration. Modi Yogi ji's culture motivates us to vote for BJP. But the culture of the opposition force us to vote for BJP"
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The same photo was also tweeted by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala.
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BOOM found that the viral photo is from January 31, 2022, on the occasion of Youth Congress leader Mohammed Haris Nalapad taking charge as KPYCC president in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Along with Islamic prayers there were other religious rituals performed including a havan.
Results for a Google reverse image search showed other tweets by Karnataka Congress and Nalapad where the same photo can be seen along with photos of other religious rituals.
Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress had tweeted the photo with a set of other photos with the caption when translated reads, "The new President @nalapad of the Karnataka Youth Congress office at the Congress House today worshiped and prayed...."
Nalapad had also tweeted the photo with the caption when translated reads, "Prayers were held today at the Karnataka Region Youth Congress office at the Congress House. @mlanaharis legislator and several Congress leaders, including Mohammed, were present."
Nalapad had also retweeted a tweet calling out BJP National spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala stating that he had performed "pooja and dua"
BOOM has reached out to Nalapad, the article will be updated upon receiving a reply.
The New Indian Express also reported on the event stating that Nalapad took over as president of the youth wing by performing some rituals at the Congress Bhavan on Race Course Road.