Old video from Haryana shared as farmers vandalising Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini’s event

The viral video shows farmers destroying the site for a 2021 event in Karnal, Haryana that was supposed to be attended by former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

A video of individuals vandalizing a public event and demolishing the stage is going viral on social media. The users who shared the video claimed that it shows farmers destroying a pandal (temporary structure erected for an event) involving Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, an attack on a Haryana BJP event. The words written on the viral video is translated as “Farmers stormed and demolished Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s pandal, even the forces retreated, leaving the BJP in silence.”

The caption of the post states, “In Haryana, farmers entered the Chief Minister’s pandal and vandalized it. Farmers armed with sticks climbed the stage and created a blast. There was no one to stop the force, even the force remained a spectator”.

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Fact Check-

We started our investigation with keyword and a reverse image search on Google and the results led us to a similar video uploaded on YouTube on 10 January 2021. The caption of the video mentions, “Farmers broke the stage of CM Khattar in Karnal, see live footage.” The description of the video mentions that farmers in Karnal were lathi-charged, tear gas shells were fired and water cannons were used against the farmers. A group of agitating farmers were going towards the CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s Krishi Mahapanchayat program, who were stopped by the police. The farmers were carrying black flags who created a ruckus after the police stopped them.

Upon further search we found an extended version of the viral video of the same incident on YouTube with a caption “Farmers uprooted the stage of Chief Minister’s rally, broke chairs…extreme vandalism”. The video was uploaded on 10 January 2021 by Punjab Kesari Haryana

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We found a news report on the incident published by India TV on January 10 this year. The headline of the video mentions, “CM Khattar’s Mahapanchayat cancelled after the uproar in Karnal, we will protest.” The description of the video states that “Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s Kisan Mahapanchayat program has been cancelled after a clash between protesting farmers and police in Haryana’s Karnal. Police lathi-charged, used water cannons on protesting farmers who were protesting Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s program in Karnal.”

According to the Indian Express, ‘kisan Mahapanchayat’ programme in Karnal had to be cancelled after protesting farmers uprooted tents and damaged the stage at the venue after Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the Centre was not likely to repeal the three farm laws. The report mentions that the CM had to cancel his visit to attend the Kisan Mahapanchayat at Karnal after the agitating farmers vandalized the venue. This vandalism took place in demand of the revocation of the three farm laws. In November 2021, PM Modi announced repealing the three farm laws that had sparked intense protests. The laws were officially withdrawn in December of the same year.

Thus, the above information makes it very clear that the viral video is not recent and it has no relation with the ongoing 2024 general election or the current Haryana Chief Minister.

Conclusion-

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral images to be False. 

The viral video shows farmers destroying the site for a 2021 event in Karnal that was supposed to be attended by former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.