On Friday (17th November), a video of a confrontation between two groups was falsely presented as a hate crime against the Sikh community by a Hindu mob.
The incident reportedly took place in Jabalpur city of Madhya Pradesh. A Sikh man in a scooter was assaulted by a group of men, the video of which went viral on social media.
Prominent fake news peddlers attempted to give a communal spin to the incident. “Sikh was attacked by a Hindu mob…Nobody is safe under BJP ruled government unless he is a BJP supporter,” claimed Islamist X handle ‘RheA’.
Another Islamist claimed, “First Muslim, then Dalit and now Sikh.”
“Madhya Pradesh – Sikh attacked by Hindu mob in Jabalpur. While raising religious slogans, people badly beat up a person from the Sikh community,” tweeted one ‘mdirfan997’.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also amplified the incident and asked the Madhya Pradesh Police to take action.
SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami has taken notice of a viral video from Jabalpur, in which, a Sikh is seen being assaulted by some men. He said that such an incident of assault with insult to Sikh turban and Kes (unshorn hair) is highly unfortunate and strongly condemnable.… https://t.co/HAVPR9P1D5
— Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (@SGPCAmritsar) November 18, 2023
The Truth about the Incident
Contrary to claims on social media, the scuffle took place between a politician (the Sikh man seen in the video) and members of the opposite political party during Vidhan Sabha polling in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. There was no ‘communal angle’ in the incident.
Secretary of the Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA), Tejinder Singh Renu, informed, “A video circulated widely on social media (screenshots shared) is from Jabalpur; but it has nothing to do with #Hindu #Sikh enmity.”
“Yesterday there were elections in Madhya Pradesh and this incident happened in the Madan Mahal area. The Sikh man being thrashed is a political leader of the area and the men beating him mercilessly are from another political party,” he added.
A video circulated widely on social media (screenshots shared) is from Jabalpur; but it has nothing to do with #Hindu #Sikh enmity.
— Tejinder Singh Renu (@bobbyrenu) November 18, 2023
Yesterday there were elections in Madhya Pradesh and this incident happened in the Madan Mahal area. The Sikh man being thrashed is a political… pic.twitter.com/LI91DdHfCS
Tejinder Singh Renu pointed out how the mob attacked one man and not other Sikhs in the vicinity. “The level of Political rivalry getting so low is extremely saddening. Please do not spread lies of Sikh Hindu enmity,” he concluded.
