According to the declaration of the Election Commission of India, the process of ‘Special Intensive Revision’ (SIR) of the voter lists began in 12 states and Union Territories of the country on October 28. As part of this process, the intensive revision of the voter list also began in West Bengal on November 04. It is known that many people’s names are feared to be removed from the voter list if they cannot produce the necessary documents during this process. Central leaders of the ruling BJP have been claiming that many alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators have enlisted as voters in some states like West Bengal. They claim that ‘illegal Bangladeshis’ and ‘Rohingyas’ will be removed once the ‘intensive revision’ is carried out. In this context, a video was circulated across various internet platforms in November with the caption: ‘Rush of Bangladeshis going back to Bangladesh after SIR ordered in West Bengal.’
The video shows many people passing through a barbed wire fence and a black gate.
See the post circulated on X with this claim here (Archive).
See the post circulated on Facebook with this claim here (Archive).
See the post circulated on Instagram with this claim here (Archive).
See the post circulated on YouTube with this claim here (Archive).
Fact-Check
The Rumor Scanner Team’s investigation found that the circulated video is not a scene of ‘illegal Bangladeshis’ residing in India crossing the India-Bangladesh border into Bangladesh due to the SIR program. In fact, the video being circulated with the discussed claim is of the Kali idol immersion ceremony in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India.
In the course of the investigation, a live video was found published on October 30 on the Facebook profile of an Indian woman named Neha Mondal, who resides in Nadia, India. A section of this video is similar to the video in question.
The caption of the video mentioned ‘Phunkotlar Shyama Mayer Biday Bela’ (The Farewell Moment of Shyama Ma of Phunkotla), suggesting it is a scene of the Kali idol immersion organized in a place called Phunkotla.
Following this information, it was learned that there is a village named Phunkalata in Shikarpur, Murutia police station, in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India, where the annual Kali Puja is organized at the Shri Shri Shyama Ma temple.
Subsequently, in a video circulated on October 30 on the profile of Jayanta Ghosh, a resident of Shikarpur, West Bengal, India, with the caption ‘Shyama Ma Phunkatla,’ scenes similar to the circulated video were also seen.
In addition, an official post on this matter was found on the official X handle of the West Bengal Police on November 25.
The post, which included a screenshot of the circulated video, stated that it is a scene of the Kali idol immersion in the Mathabhanga River in Phunkalata village of Murutia police station, near the India-Bangladesh border in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India. The post clarified that this video has no connection to any incident of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh crossing the West Bengal state border due to the SIR program.
Therefore, a video of the Kali idol immersion in West Bengal, India, has been circulated claiming to be a scene of Bangladeshi immigrants crossing the border into Bangladesh due to the SIR process, which is false.
Sources
- Neha Mondal – Facebook Post
- Jayanta Ghosh – Facebook Post
- West Bengal Police – X Post
