On 25th December, Alt News’ co-founder out-on-bail Mohammed Zubair targetted former athlete Anju Bobby George for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a social media post, he claimed that mainstream media reports mentioned that she praised PM Modi but did not mention that she joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019. In the post, he wrote, “ANI forgot to mention that BJP member Anju George joined the party in 2019” and shared two screenshots from ANI. One from 23rd December, where ANI shared a video of Anju praising PM Modi, and the second from July 2019, where ANI mistakenly claimed Anju joined the BJP.
Zubair, who claims to be the ‘messiah’ of fact-checking, failed to fact-check if Anju joined the BJP. On 6th July, Anju Bobby George attended an event where BJP Karnataka President BS Yeddyurappa was present. In a post on X (then-Twitter), ANI wrote, “Anju Bobby George, India’s first athletics medallist at the World Championship, joins BJP in the presence of Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa.”
However, the report was incorrect, and Anju refuted the claims that she had no political aspirations. Speaking to the media, she said, “I had gone there just to meet the minister (V Muraleedharan), a family friend. When the BJP leaders saw me standing near the stage, they called me on stage and greeted me with the flag. They did not even know that I was present at the function. Sports is my party, and I have no intention of joining any party.”
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Murlaeedharan also refuted the claims that Anju joined the BJP. Speaking to the Indian Express, he said he has had a long association with Anju and her husband, Robert Bobby George. When he went to a party programme in Bengaluru, Anju called and asked to meet, to which he agreed. “When she came to the programme where I was taking part, the event was about to begin. So I invited her to the dais, as she is an internationally acclaimed athlete.”
Notably, a statement by Karnataka BJP media convener S Shantaram also created confusion in the matter as he slammed her for saying that she did not join the party. He had said, “She came on stage, took the party flag & our state President announced she joined the BJP. Don’t know why she changed stand. Doesn’t she know the meaning of taking the flag on stage from the president?” Later, he told BOOM there was some miscommunication as she came to the dias and accepted the flag. However, when BOOM contacted Anju, she categorically refuted the claims that she had joined the BJP and clarified that she only went to meet the minister.
Zubair refused to delete the post even after multiple fact-checks
Interestingly, Zubair, according to the left liberals, who is the “poster boy” of fact-checking, did not correct his fake post even after multiple fact-checks. Replying to Zubair, Ankur Singh wrote, “Why are you spreading Fake News even after four years? She never joined the BJP. Anju and BJP both clarified on the same day. There were several fact checks too. But why will you show the truth?”
Why are you spreading Fake News even after 4 years?
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) December 25, 2023
She never joined BJP. Anju and BJP both had clarified the same day.
There were several fact checks too. But why will you show the truth? pic.twitter.com/5RDpBne1f3
In a post, X user Mr Sinha fact-checked Zubair and wrote, “Anju Bobby George never joined BJP, it was cleared in 2019 itself and yet this guy who calls every other person fake news peddler & himself a fact checker sharing fake news…”
Anju Bobby George never joined BJP, it was cleared in 2019 itself and yet this guy who calls every other person fake news peddler & himself a fact checker sharing fake news… pic.twitter.com/xPuDZpvTFn
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) December 25, 2023
The most interesting thing is that one of Zubair’s favourite media houses, Maktoob Media, also fact-checked whether Anju joined the BJP or not 2019 and came to the conclusion that the reports were false. In a way, Maktoob Media’s 2019 fact-check fact-checked Alt News’ Mohammed Zubair in 2023.
