In the age of social media, misinformation spreads like wildfire, often causing unnecessary controversies and division among people. One such incident promoting Love Jihad at a shopping mall in Telangana, where an old poster was being circulated on various platforms with a misleading claim that it promoted love jihad. In this blog, we will delve into the incident, examine the misleading tweets, explore the fact-checking process undertaken by D-Intent, and ultimately reveal the true intent behind the incident.
The Incident:
The controversy began when an old poster featuring a Muslim man wearing a topi (religious cap) and a woman wearing a saree started resurfacing on social media platforms. The image was being shared with a false claim that it was promoting love jihad at a shopping mall in Telangana.
Misleading Tweets:
One of the prominent tweets fueling the controversy was shared by user SheetalPronamo, whose tweet can be found here (archived here). This tweet garnered significant attention and helped amplify the misleading narrative surrounding the poster.
Fact-Checking by D-Intent:
Thankfully, diligent fact-checking organizations like D-Intent stepped in to verify the authenticity of the claims. They discovered that this poster was not a recent advertisement, but rather an old one that had been circulating since 2019. Furthermore, the management of the shopping mall in question promptly issued an apology statement and removed the poster when the controversy initially arose. It is important to note that all billboards featuring such imagery were removed at that time.
D-Intent also uncovered another tweet by user oldhandhyd, which can be found in the above image. The image explains that the owner of the mall apoligize for the mistake in the poster. Here is the translated version of the image for your reference.
The Complete Intent:
While the misleading tweets attempted to create religious disharmony by associating the poster with love jihad, the truth is far from the claims made. It is a well-known fact that many married Muslim women in the Indian subcontinent wear sarees, and therefore, companies often feature such advertisements. Additionally, prominent political figures and Bollywood celebrities, both past and present, have publicly embraced sarees as their primary attire.
It is crucial to recognize that shopping malls and consumer-based companies should exercise caution when advertising to avoid potential controversy and damage to their image. However, it is equally important for social media users to be discerning and fact-check information before perpetuating misleading narratives.
Conclusion:
The circulation of an old poster with a misleading claim regarding love jihad at a shopping mall in Telangana demonstrates how misinformation can sow discord and disharmony within society. Despite the poster being removed and an apology issued by the mall management, extremists continue to share the image without context, further exacerbating the situation. Through the efforts of organizations like D-Intent, the truth behind the incident was unraveled, shedding light on the real intent of those perpetuating the misleading claims. Let this incident serve as a reminder for all of us to be responsible consumers of information and to promote understanding and unity rather than division and misinformation.
Also read- Misleading Video Sparks False Communal Claims: Father’s Attempt to Persuade Daughter’s Marriage
