In the fervor following a purported video claiming a massive recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa during the World Cup final between India and Australia at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, a fact-check reveals an entirely different narrative. The viral video, widely circulated on social media, sparked intrigue, suggesting that 1.5 lakh attendees participated in a collective rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa during the highly anticipated World Cup final clash.
The video, shared by a verified account of the national weekly magazine Panchjanya, quickly gained traction, garnering over 3 lakh views and approximately 8,000 likes. Its caption asserted the recitation during the final match at the Narendra Modi Stadium, and within the 21-second video, a stadium packed with spectators appeared as the sound of the Hanuman Chalisa emanated in the background.
फाइनल मैच के बीच नरेंद्र मोदी स्टेडियम में हनुमान चालीसा का पाठ।#INDvsAUSfinal pic.twitter.com/IJoMJJbL3z
— Panchjanya (@epanchjanya) November 19, 2023
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However, upon closer inspection, inconsistencies emerged. While the video undoubtedly displayed “Ahmedabad” inscriptions, hinting at its origination at the Narendra Modi Stadium, a contradiction arose when the camera panned to the field. It revealed players in green jerseys, indicating that the match depicted was not the final between Australia and India but rather the India-Pakistan encounter held on October 14, 2023.
Further scrutiny elucidated that the audio accompanying the video, purportedly the recital of the Hanuman Chalisa, was extracted from a separate event held in Jaipur. A YouTube video uploaded by @jaipurwaley on June 3, 2023, showcased an authentic mass rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa in Jaipur. This audio was later edited onto the India-Pakistan match footage, leading to a misleading association between the audio and the match.
Despite diligent efforts to authenticate the claim, including keyword searches on Google and YouTube, no credible evidence substantiating the alleged mass recitation during the World Cup final surfaced. Consequently, it became evident that the viral video was an adulterated representation of events, intertwining unrelated audio with the match footage to fabricate a false narrative.
The misrepresentation aimed to craft an illusion of a significant religious demonstration during a high-stakes sporting event, fostering an exaggerated portrayal of the World Cup final. This distortion propagated misinformation, fueling false assumptions about the nature of the event and the sentiments of the spectators present.
This investigative fact-check, conducted by News24, meticulously dismantled the viral video’s claim, emphasizing its fabrication and manipulation. The mischievous amalgamation of unrelated audio with cricket match footage misrepresented the genuine events, deceiving the public and disseminating an inaccurate narrative about the World Cup final. As such, it underscores the criticality of scrutinizing viral content and verifying claims to prevent the propagation of misleading information.
