False provocative quotes attributed to Muslim leaders in UP: AltNews

A video of hoardings attributing false communal statements to prominent Muslim leaders, which appeared recently on social media from a boundary wall of Uttar Pradesh-based TP Inter College in Kunda, Pratapgarh, is being shared with wrong messages, reports AltNews. As per reports, the banners were installed on August 12. The video is being circulated on social media as installed by Muslims.

However, as per AltNews fact-check, no arrests have been made in this regard. "There have been no arrests, and the investigations are ongoing. However, FIR has been filed against unknown persons under the Indian Penal Code section 153 A [Promoting enmity between different groups] and other relevant sections," SP Pratapgarh Satpal told AltNews.

The banners include AIMIM leader and MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, 13th Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Azam Khan, founding member of the Samajwadi Party, Noor ur Rahman Barkati, former Shahi Imam in Kolkata and controversial Islamic cleric Zakir Naik.

AltNews has identified that the quotes attributed to these Muslim leaders were mostly shared on right-wing pages and BJP supporters on Facebook. No reports corroborate any of the statements. Though one board alleged that Owaisi had called for a ban on Hindu festivals as the Muslim population is over 50 per cent in Hyderabad, the percentage of Hindu and Muslim population in Hyderabad is 64.93% and 30.13%. Owaisi, when contacted, clarified that the statement is completely false and a complaint would be filed with the cyber cell in the regard.

As per another banner, Syed Ahmed Bukhari said that Hindus must leave UP, Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Hyderabad as Muslims are a majority in these states. However, as per the latest available census data, none of the states has Muslims in the majority. Shaban Bukhari, son of Syed Ahmed Bukhari, claimed that his father had not made any such statement and that they plan to file a police complaint after August 15.

One of the hoardings claims that Azam Khan, the founding member of the Samajwadi Party, said that Muslims would boycott Vande Mataram for, in Islam, secularism and nationalism are prohibited. This quote, however, has been identified on right-wing pages on Facebook dating as far back as 2013.

The banners further claim that former Shahi Imam Noor ur Rahman Barkati in Kolkata said that Muslims shall continue to slaughter cows and that Muslims aren't scared of authority as the population of the community has increased. "We don't argue like Hindus, we just kill," the quote further states.

The quote has been shared multiple times. Though Barkati did say that Muslims will continue to slaughter cows in 2010, the remaining part of the quote is untrue. He did not suggest murdering Hindus.

As for the quote attributed to Zakir Naik, AltNews could not find the quote on the banner despite the many controversial statements of Zakir reported in the media.

All in all, six hoardings with false, provocative statements were installed. Though the police have not identified the perpetrators, the blame is being put on the Muslim community. Furthermore, these quotes were circulating on right-wing pages before they made it up on the wall of TP Inter College.