Old video of protest against Santa Claus by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal activists goes viral with misleading claims

The video is two years old and the people seen in the video are not members of Sangh Parivar

A video showing Sangh Parivar activists protesting against Santa Claus has been circulating on social media since Christmas. In the video, people holding saffron flags are also seen chanting Santa Claus Moordabad. People assume it is a recent incidence because the tweet references PM Modi’s interaction with the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas and BJP president J. P. Nadda’s prayer at Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church. Many people have commented that this video is of the current incident. 

The caption of the post states, “Narendra Modi met the members of the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas. JP Nadda offered prayers at Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church in Delhi. Meanwhile Sanghis”

Let’s check the truth

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Fact Check-

We found a two-year-old news report about the incident when we searched for further information about the video using keywords linked to the incident in the video. The title of the YouTube video states, “Santa Clause Doesn’t Come To Give Gift’: Bajrang Dal Members Burn Santa Clause Effigy In Agra”

The description states “On the day of Christmas, members of right wing group In Agra burnt the effigy of Santa Claus. A group of members of right wing outfit “”Rashtriya Bajrang Dal”” gathered in Agra today and shouted slogans against Santa Clause. They also gave slogans of Santa Clause Murdabad. One of the protesting members was seen repeatedly slapping the effigy of Santa Clause. Later, the effigy was burnt by them. You can see the news below.

This incident took place on Christmas Eve in 2021 in Agra, UP. Alleging that “Santa Claus does not come to give gifts, but to convert”, these people burnt the effigy of Santa Claus. India Today has reported the news of this incident. According to this report, the protest was organized by Hindutva organizations such as the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal and the International Hindu Parishad. St. in Agra. They held this protest at John Junction. 

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These protesters are not affiliated with Sangh Parivar as claimed in the post. The Rashtriya Bajrang Dal and the International Hindu Parishad (AHP) are not affiliated with the RSS. In 2018, senior VHP leader Praveen Togadia left the group after a controversy with the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). Later he developed AHP. AHP follows the same model as VHP. AHP formed an organization called Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, similar to VHP’s Bajrang Dal. These organizations do not belong to the Sangh Parivar i.e. RSS and their affiliated organizations. In August this year, Rashtriya Bajrang Dal created controversy by conducting weapons training in Assam.

Conclusion-

Fact Crescendo found that the claim made along with the viral video to be Misleading. The video circulating on social media as a protest against Santa Claus by the Sangh Parivar is two years old. Those who perform this performance are not members of the Sangh Parivar.