A few days ago, an incident occurred in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where two women were arrested for offering Namaz at a Shiv temple in Kesarpur village. This event has been twisted and manipulated by propagandists to circulate false claims and create communal tension.
Accounts like @mannu_meha have been circulating news with false claims to set their narrative based on religion. She and many accounts like her allege that Hindus are intolerant and don’t like others entering their place of worship, which is far from the truth.
Two States, Two Stories…
— Mannu (@mannu_meha) September 18, 2023
UP ~ Two Muslim women Sajina & Sabina (mother-daughter), who visited a temple to pray for a cure from illness in Bareilly, were arrested on Sunday along with a maulvi Chaman Shah
TN ~ Muslims are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi pic.twitter.com/E5T6cYXNUJ
The Incident
The two women, Sabina and Nazeera, were caught on camera performing Namaz in the temple. This act was not a simple prayer for a cure for illness as some news outlets have claimed. Instead, it was an act that could potentially stir up communal tension in the area. According to them, they were instructed by a local maulvi, Chaman Shah to offer namaz at a Hindu temple to cure illness.
The Arrest
Following a complaint by villagers, the local police took quick action and arrested the trio. Mukesh Chandra Mishra, the Assistant Superintendent of Police (rural), commented on the situation, saying that two women were found offering ‘namaz’ inside an ancient Shiva temple in Kesarpur village under Bhuta police. The Bareilly police also posted about the incident on Twitter, providing accurate information about the case.
थाना भुता #bareillypolice द्वारा साम्प्रदायिक सौहार्द को बिगाड़ने का प्रयास करने वाले 03 अभियुक्तगण को गिरफ्तार किया गया। #UPPolice pic.twitter.com/TccY6V1NqO
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) September 17, 2023
A right-wing group subsequently filed an FIR, leading to the arrest of the two women, her stepmother, and a local resident. They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 295A (outraging religious sentiment), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups). Along with them, the maulvi has also been arrested by the police for allegedly provoking them to offer ‘namaz’ at the Hindu temple.
Conclusion
The incident in Bareilly was not a simple act of prayer but an attempt to create communal tension. The propagandists’ false claims only serve to fuel this tension further and target the Uttar Pradesh administration led by the BJP Government under CM Yogi Adityanath. Following a precise analysis and fact-checking, our team has reviewed the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread below.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 18, 2023
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: News is being circulated claiming that two Muslim women were arrested for praying at a temple for a cure from illness in Bareilly. The fact is that they were caught on camera performing Namaz in a Shiv temple located at Kesarpur village, (1/3) pic.twitter.com/dgyE46FXIP
Claim: Two women were arrested for praying at a temple for a cure from illness in Bareilly.
Fact: The women were arrested for performing Namaz at a Shiv temple, potentially creating communal tension.
