An image purporting to be a news graphic by Marathi newspaper Sakal, claiming former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray praised Mughal emperor Babar, is fake and has been debunked by the newspaper.
BOOM found that Thackeray never made any such remark. Sakal and Shiv Sena (UBT) have also called out the graphic as fake.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on December 7, 2024 had announced that it was quitting the opposition alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra, citing a controversial post by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Milind Narvekar praising the demolition of the Babri Masjid on the 32n anniversary of razing the mosque, marked on December 6. Narverkar had posted a graphic with photos of Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray with a quote from him reading, "I am proud of those who did this".
Fake graphic shared with false communal spin
The vial graphic has a logo of Marathi newspaper Sakal and a photo of Uddhav Thackeray with a quote when translated to English reads, "Today is a sad day for my Muslim brothers! Babur gave his life for the country".
(Original text in Marathi - आज माझ्या मुस्लिम बांधवांसाठी दुःखाचा दिवस आहे.! बाबर हा देशासाठी शहीद झाला)
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The graphic is being shared on Facebook with false and communal claims.
FACT-CHECK: No, Uddhav Thackeray Has Not Praised Emperor Babar
BOOM found that viral news graphic is fake. Thackeray has not made any such remark praising Mughal emperor Babar. Marathi Newspaper Sakal Rubbishes Fake Graphic
Marathi daily Sakal took to X to call out the graphic as fake.
Shiv Sena (UBT) also posted on X dismissing the fake quote attributed to their party chief.
BOOM has previously debunked similar fake graphics attributed to Sakal, and fake quotes being attributed to Thackeray during the recent Maharashtra assembly election.
Babri Masjid and Mughal Emperor Babar's connection to it
Babri Masjid a mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh was built in the 16th century by the Mughal general Mir Baqi, on the orders of the Mughal emperor Babur. It was named after Babur and became known as Babri Masjid.
The demolition of the mosque by right wing groups in 1992 is a contentious point in India's history. Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had then taken credit for the demolition of the mosque claiming it was the Shiv Sainiks who brought down the disputed structure. December 6, 2024, marked the first anniversary of the demolition after the Ram Temple was built on the spot, after the Supreme Court's judgement in 2019 paving the way for the temple to be constructed there.