Unrelated video of a clash from Punjab goes viral linking to farmers’ protest

The viral video shows a clash outside a Gurdwara in Punjab and is from January 2024. It is not related to the ongoing farmers’ protests

Protesting farmers on Friday declared to hold their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march till February 29 and decided to stay put along the Punjab-Haryana border until then. Pictures and videos from farmers’ protest venues are widely circulated through social media. Amidst this, a video of protesters attacking policemen with swords has gone viral on social media with the claim that it depicts current footage from the ongoing farmers’ protests in Delhi.

The caption of the video states, “So-called farmer attacking police with swords allowed on them for religious purposes. Are they farmers? Ask yourselves.”

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Fact Check-

We carefully observed the video and went through the comments under the post and found that the video pre-dates the farmers’ protest and is from Tarn Taran, Punjab. 

Taking a hint from this, we ran a keyword search and found a report by Hindustan Times published on 29 January, 2024 featuring screengrab from the viral video. The report states that the incident took place near the Janam Asthan Baba Deep Singh Gurudwara in the Pahuwing village. The President of the Gurudwara’s managing committee, retired Colonel Harsimran Singh, had ordered a group of Sikh youngsters to remove a portrait of Bhindranwale from the Gurudwara’s premises. Upon their refusal, Singh took down the portrait himself.

A video of this incident then circulated online, after which leaders of Sikh organisations arrived at the Gurudwara to demand action against the Gurudwara. The police, fearing clashes, began escorting retd Colonel Harsimran Singh to his vehicle when members of the Sikh groups began attacking them with them with sticks and swords.

We found the same viral video was uploaded on Instagram on 31 January, and it confirms that the video pre-dates the farmers’ protest and is unrelated the same.

News18 Punjab/Haryana/Himachal reported on the incident on January 29, and it also carried a video that matches the visuals in the viral video.

Thus, we can see that the viral video predates the farmers’ protest and shows clashes near a Gurudwara over the hanging of a portrait of slain Sikh militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Conclusion-

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. The viral video shows a clash outside a Gurdwara in Punjab and is from January 2024.It is not related to the ongoing farmers’ protests.