A collage of Hyderabad Congress leaders photographed at social gatherings is viral with false claims that they were at a farmhouse partying while the city was reeling from devastating floods recently.
BOOM was able to establish that the six photos being shared are from two different Hyderabad Congress events dated - October 6, 2020, and September 14, 2020, predating the Hyderabad floods caused due to heavy rains that hit the city since October 13, 2020.
The photos are being shared in the backdrop of heavy flooding in several parts of the city due to incessant rains as a result of the depression from the Bay of Bengal.
The set of six photos are being shared with the caption which when translated reads, "The people of Hyderabad are worried, the houses have become sea due to rain and here the Muslim leaders of Congress party at farm house, these people do not belong to anyone, or what will they do to Muslims, today the public is upset with hunger, rain Because of the reason these people are busy in shining their political shop. Wow congress wow."
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(In Hindi - *Hyd ki awaam pareshan hai, ghar Samandar Ban chuke hai barish ki wajah se or Yaha Congress ki Muslims leaders Farm house pe party kare hai ya log kisi ki nahi hote, ya musalmano ka kiya bhalaa karinge aaj Awaam pareshan hai Bhook se, Barish ki wajah se ya log apni Siyasi Dukan chamkani me Masroof hai.* *Waah re CongRSSI waah*)
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Viral on Facebook
On searching with the same caption on Facebook, we found that the photos were being shared with the false claim.
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FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the set of viral photos are old and unrelated, which were taken during two different local Hyderabad Congress Party events - on October 6, 2020, and September 14, 2020, before floods could hit the city from October 13, 2020.
Photos from local Hyderabad Congress events on September 13 and October 6
Taking a hint from the comments, where some Facebook users had pointed out that the photos are not from a recent farmhouse party and are old. We found several local reports which had the same visuals matched with three of the viral photos.
The three photos (1, 3, 4) where one can spot Congress members wearing party scarfs are from October 6, 2020, when several youngsters from the Karwan assembly constituency in Hyderabad had joined the Congress Party according to local news reports.
A local journalist who was present at the press conference confirmed to BOOM that three photos from in post are from when new members were inducted into the Congress.
"The photos viral are from that day's event when 200 members joined the Congress hailing from nearby areas in Karwan which was held much before the Hyderabad floods, now it is being shared with false claims. This was a penthouse of a Congress leader where this event was held," said Shaik Numaam, who heads Stars News Express YouTube channel.
Photo credit: Shaik Numaam / Stars News Express
We then contacted Congress leader Osman Bin Mohammed Al Hajri at whose house the party induction event was held. Hajri told BOOM that the event was much before the floods and was held on October 6, 2020.
"The photos of everyone with party scarfs are from October 6, 2020, when we had included around 200 youngsters in the party which was held at my place and not a farmhouse party as being shared. The other three photos of leaders eating at a table and food around are from September at Congress leader Sameer Waliullah's farmhouse when we had gone for dinner. These all photos are from old events before the Hyderabad floods and not recent," Hajri told BOOM.
We were also able to verify that photo (2, 5, 6) are from a farmhouse dinner organised by Congress leader Sameer Waliullah, which photos he had uploaded on September 14, 2020, with the caption, "It was a lovely get together for dinner at my farm house on 13th September, Sunday . All senior minority leaders and contested MLAs attended . it was a very fruitful meeting. From the depth of my heart, I would like to thank everyone who attended and made it a grand success"
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BOOM has previously debunked misinformation around Hyderabad floods when unrelated clips were being shared as taken during Hyderabad floods.
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