News is circulating claiming that more than 35 unmarried girls in a village in Uttar Pradesh are pregnant. However, these reports are false. Chief Development Officer (CDO) Himanshu Nagpal addressed the situation, confirming that an error had occurred, leading to unmarried teenage girls being mistakenly listed as pregnant.
Serial fake news peddler and propagandist account @007AliSohrab shared a postcard that reads “More than 35 virgin girls got pregnant in this village of UP! Family members were shocked”. Sharing the postcard, he wrote, I will not say anything… To these rituals, these vows, these relationships… I will not say anything…
मै ना बोलूंगा…
— Ali Sohrab (@007AliSohrab) November 11, 2024
इन रस्मो को, इन कसमो को, इन रिश्ते नातो को…
मै ना बोलूंगा…#Varanasi #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/P3Q4gAE05d
Another propaganda account @karishma_aziz97 also shared the postcard and wrote. “And they say that our culture…….anyway! All this is natural in a society where burqa and hijab are opposed!”. Later, she deleted the post.
The truth behind the claims from Uttar Pradesh, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis regarding the claims. We found that the report about more than 35 unmarried girls being pregnant in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh was not true.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a relevant keyword search and found multiple reports regarding the claims. According to reports(India Today, Dainik Bhaskar), at least 40 unmarried girls from two local communities in Malhiya village of Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, received messages indicating they were registered as pregnant mothers under the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s nutrition tracker program.
Responding to the situation, Chief Development Officer (CDO) Himanshu Nagpal said that an error had indeed taken place, which led to unmarried teenage girls being registered as pregnant.
According to Nagpal, the issue arose because the local Anganwadi worker, who also serves as a Booth Level Officer (BLO) responsible for voter registration, accidentally mixed up forms for voter registration and the nutrition program.
The registration mistake was discovered after complaints were filed, and the incorrect data has since been removed from the portal. Preliminary investigations indicated that no actual nutritional aid or benefits were disbursed under these registrations.
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the report about 35 unmarried girls being pregnant in Uttar Pradesh’s village was not true.
2637
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) November 11, 2024
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: News is circulating claiming that more than 35 unmarried girls in a village in UP are pregnant.This information is false and misleading.Chief Development Officer Himanshu Nagpal addressed the situation,confirming that an error had occurred, (1/3) pic.twitter.com/oPG4Q0rXlU
Intent
Social media users, influencers and propagandists are circulating inaccurate information to set their narrative against a particular community.
Conclusion
Claim– More than 35 unmarried girls got pregnant in this village of UP.
Fact– The data was registered by mistake and has now been removed from the portal.
Related Article: Fact Check: Uttar Pradesh’s Man brutally beaten up over personal enmity, propagandists spread communal claims – D-Intent Data
