US-based self-proclaimed journalist posted a video of claiming ‘Hindutva fanatics’ destroying 25 Muslim owned businesses and properties in Aurangabad on 25th March’.
India: This video sent to me allegedly shows Hindutva fanatics destroying 25 Muslim owned businesses and property in Aurangabad on 25 March. pic.twitter.com/lRI6rx1SRA
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) March 28, 2018
Aurangabad in Bihar had violent communal clashes following the Ram Navami celebrations in the state.
The video Werleman has shared was actually of violence which took place in Maharashtra at an event to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune on 1st January this year.
Maharashtra: Violence between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune yesterday, vehicles set on fire pic.twitter.com/5RpITAK4qB
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018
Despite the fact that many people pointed it out to him that the video he shared is fake, he still has not brought down the video which could flare communal violence.
You now know this is false. This isn’t the first time either. When are you going to stop?
— Nayanika (@nayanikaaa) March 30, 2018
This is fake news. You are using the video of another incident, nothing to do with Muslims, for your poisonous bigotry. https://t.co/isva7ku6Jp
— Sankrant Sanu सानु (@sankrant) April 1, 2018
This is not the first time Werleman has shared unverified and false videos which could incite communal violence. During Kasganj violence, he had tweeted that the Kasganj police was taking the help of ‘Hindu Extremist mob’ to arrest Muslim people. He had also accused the police was ‘beating’ dozens of Muslim youth which got called out by Kasganj Police. Before that, he had shared a video accusing the RSS of moral policing a young Muslim man and his Hindu girlfriend, which was far from reality. In fact, earlier, too, he had tried to flare communal violence by spreading half-truths to promote his narrative of Hindu extremism.
CJ Werleman has been a regular offender. His obsession with relating everything to Hindu extremism and inventing lies out of thin air seems to have gone over the edge. However, he is unlikely to mend his ways as agenda trumps everything.