WebQoof Recap: Misinformation Around Bihar Political Crisis, Monkeypox & More

From old visuals of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar being shared as recent ones to false claims about the monkeypox virus.

False claims surrounding the monkeypox virus, the political turmoil in Bihar, and more.

(Photo: Deeksha Malhotra/The Quint)

From clipped and unrelated videos being linked to the recent change in political power in Bihar to a morphed screenshot of a tweet being attributed to 'Har Har Shambu' singer Abhilipsa Panda, here's a round up of all the misinformation that went viral on the internet this week.

1. Did Nitish Kumar Say He'll 'Never Join Hands With RJD'? No, Video Is Clipped

Several BJP leaders and supporters shared a 28-second video of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying, "After this, there is no question of going back to the RJD under any circumstances... It is impossible to get into any agreement with you people in future."

Users claimed that Kumar was referring to the the Rashtriya Janata Dal in his speech.

However, we found that the video was from 2014 when he took a dig at the BJP. Speaking at the 12th session of the 15th Bihar Legislative Assembly, Kumar said it was "impossible" to enter into any agreement with the BJP.

You can read our fact-check here.

2. Fabricated Screenshot of BBC News Post on Monkeypox Goes Viral

A graphic bearing the BBC's logo claims that monkeypox is airborne and can infect anybody within 15 feet. It adds that the illness lasts for two to four months and has been classified as a form of the herpes, and could potentially leave an infected person paralysed.

An archive of this post an be seen here.

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

But it shows a fabricated version of a screenshot, taken from a real graphic that the organisation shared on its verified Instagram account to spread awareness about monkeypox.

The original graphic states that monkeypox could be spread through direct contact with an infected person's used linens, scabs, and contact during sex. It adds that coughs and sneezes from an infected person could also transmit the virus.

You can read our fact-check here.

3. Abhilipsa Panda Didn't Tweet Against Muslim Singer for Singing 'Har Har Shambhu'

A screenshot of a tweet purportedly shared by 'Har Har Shambu' fame singer Abhilipsa Panda, which accuses singer Farmani Naaz of stealing her song after the latter released a cover version of it, went viral on social media.

But we found that the account one that was impersonating Panda, whose real Twitter account is '@Abhi_30_Lipsa,' her manager told The Quint.

The tweet is from an account impersonating the singer.

(Source:The Quint)

Several accounts impersonating the singer have cropped up on Twitter after the devotional song gained popularity.

You can read our fact-check here.

4. Media Outlets Share 2020 Poster of Nitish Kumar as Recent After BJP-JD(U) Split

The photograph of a banner showing Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar's photo with a text that reads, "Nitish Sabke Hain" (Nitish is with everyone) was shared widely by social media users and news organisations like Republic Bharat, ABP News, Zee Business, and news agency ANI as a recent image.

The posters were put up in 2020.

(Source:The Quint)

We found that the photo dates back to October 2020, when the slogan was widely used during the state's Assembly elections.

5. Clash Between BJP and TMC Workers in West Bengal Falsely Linked to Bihar

A viral video of a fight was shared to claim that it showed a clash in Bihar, after the Janata Dal (United) party broke its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently.

But the claim is false.The video is from Kadina More in Chinsurah, West Bengal and shows a fight between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers. TMC MLA from Chinsurah Asit Majumder seen attacking BJP workers with a stick in the video.

An archive of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

You can read our fact-check here.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)