This video depicts visuals of an incident that occurred during the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
With the first four phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 over, the country is going for the fifth phase of the general polls on 20 May. Several videos from different parts of the country are circulating on social media regarding the 2024 general election, the majority of these videos are scenarios of previous state or central elections.
Amidst this, a video of EVM being caught in a vehicle is viral on social media. In the video, a person is heard accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and saying that the public has seized EVMs in Pahariya Mandi, Uttar Pradesh.
But on investigation, we found that the video is not recent. Let’s check the truth.
Fact Check-
We started our investigation by conducting a keyword and reverse image search on Google and the results led us to a video report by Oneindia News uploaded on YouTube on 9 March 2022, titled “Trucks ‘steal’ EVM machines in Varanasi | Akhilesh Yadav responds to the viral video”. According to the report “Samajwadi Party’s chief, Akhilesh Yadav has accused and alleged that EVMs have been stolen from a counting centre in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh”.
Moving forward, we have come across another video of this incident with same details. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling BJP of trying to “steal” votes. He claimed that a truck carrying EVMs was “intercepted” in Varanasi, and the whole incident was caught on camera. The Election Commission gives clarification.
We also found news reports regarding the same. According to reports, more than 5,000 Samajwadi party workers crowded outside the strong room at Pahariya Mandi on the night of 8 March, 2022 over allegations of EVM rigging. Stones were also pelted at the vehicle of the zonal Assistant Directorate General of Police. A case was registered against more than 300 people under 16 serious offences, including attempted murder and obstruction of government work.
We also found a news report by ANI on the same incident including the clarification of the then Varanasi DM Kaushal Raj Sharma. He said that these 20 EVMs were not used in polling and were being sent for training purposes.
The report states, “Speaking to media persons, Sharma said, “About 20 EVMs were being taken to UP College for training. Some political people stopped the vehicle and spread rumours by saying that these EVMs were used in elections. Whereas the strong room is different and this EVM machine caught is different. Tomorrow is the second training of the employees deputed for counting duty and these machines are always used in training for hands-on training.”
The Chief Electoral Officer, Uttar Pradesh’s official Twitter handle also issued a clarification into the matter on 8 March, 2022 with a caption “Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly General Election – 2022 Press release issued regarding carrying some electronic voting machines in a vehicle in Varanasi district today on 8 March 2022”. The post explained that the EVMs were being transported for training purposes to polling officers.
Conclusion-
Fact Crescendo found the claim made along the viral video to be False. This video depicts visuals of an incident that occurred during the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The CEO of Uttar Pradesh and Varanasi DM have clarified that the EVMs carried in the vehicle were for training purposes.
Title:Is this video of EVM being caught in a vehicle during the ongoing 2024 elections? Know the truth
Fact Check By: Usha ManojResult: False
