A video showing Tesla cars arranged in the formation of the word 'Ram' and a futuristic light show performed by these vehicles is circulating with misleading claims that the event was organised by an Indian lord Ram devotee and an owner of a Tesla showroom in the United States.
BOOM found that the event was organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. We reached out to Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, who confirmed that the show was organised by VHPA in Gaitsburg, Maryland, a suburb near Washington DC.
The Ayodhya Ram temple is slated for inauguration on January 22, 2024 and the temple's consecration ceremony will witness the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, along with other prominent figures from across the country.
The video shows a futuristic light show by Tesla cars parked in the formation of the word Ram, as a Jai Shri Ram song plays in the background.
The caption with the video reads, "Ram Bhakt Indian owner of Tesla car showroom in Maryland USA, organized Tesla Music Show featuring 100 Tesla cars in formation that spelled RAM, and synchronized the headlights and music to Ram Dhoon. What fun."
Click here to view the post.
Click here to view the post.
BOOM has also received the video on its WhatsApp tipline number (7700906588) with a verification request.
Fact Check
BOOM first ran a relevant keyword search and found a post by the official X handle of DD News. The post from January 20, 2024, carried a video from the same event stating that devotees of Lord Ram had organised a light and music show with their Tesla vehicles in Washington DC, United States.
Click here to view the post.
DD News credited the video to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA).
Taking this as cue, we conducted a keyword search and found an extended video of the event on a YouTube channel called Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. The video was uploaded on January 19, 2024.
The description with the video states that the event was organised at a temple in Maryland, USA. An excerpt reads, "Here's the official Jai Shri Ram Tesla Light Show conducted by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America. Over 100 Tesla Ram bhakts gathered at Shri Bhaktha Anjaneya Temple in Frederick, MD, USA to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple."
We then reached out to Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary, VHPA, who confirmed that the event was organised as part of several car rallies across USA to commemorate the 'pran pratishtha' or consecration of lord Ram in Ayodhya. Mittal further clarified that no Tesla showroom owner was involved in the rally. "Only Hindu Americans were involved. There were no Tesla showroom owners involved in the show."
As reported by the Press Trust of India on January 14, 2024, followers of Lord Ram who owned Tesla cars utilised a distinctive feature of these vehicles "wherein the headlights and speakers of these Tesla cars synced with a popular number dedicated to Lord Ram."
Below is a report by news agency ANI.