Fact Check: Karnataka Rakshana Vedhike, Not Saffron-Wearing Men, Behind Recent Vandalism in Bengaluru

On December 29, 2023, Kashif Arsalaan, a radical Islamist and propagandist, posted a video X. The video contained clips of men damaging shops and tearing down posters. Alongside the video, Kashif Arsalaan wrote, “Saffron-wearing men vandalized in Karnataka, accused of looting several shops.” It was evident from his post that he aimed to target Hindus.

कर्नाटक में भगवा धारियों ने की तोड़फोड़,

कई दोकानों को लूटने का आरोप। pic.twitter.com/28LKzJPQcR

— Kashif Arsalaan (@KashifArsalaan) December 29, 2023

Another propagandist reporter Syed Shoeb shared a similar video on X and made similar claims.

कर्नाटक में भगवा धारियों ने की तोड़फोड़,

कई दोकानों को लूटने का आरोप। pic.twitter.com/4bn9QqWxvB

— SYED SHOEB (@SyedSho43211335) December 29, 2023

So, is it true that saffron-wearing men vandalized and looted shops in Karnataka? Let’s Fact Check.

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Fact Check

During our investigation, our initial step involved conducting a reverse video search of the viral footage to confirm its authenticity. This led us to a video shared by Brut India on X date, December 28, 2023. Surprisingly, at the 21-second mark in this video, we found identical visuals to the initial clip shared by Kashif Arsalaan. What’s more, this footage revealed the actual individuals accused of the vandalism in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

At the 27-second mark, a protester can be heard stating, “We Karnataka Rakshana Vedhike followers are making other signages bite the dust.” This crucial moment shed light on the activists’ motive, clarifying that they were reacting against the disrespect shown towards their native language Kannada.

What sparked the "Kannada vs. English" clash? pic.twitter.com/moIgvSgvnB

— Brut India (@BrutIndia) December 28, 2023

Taking a cue from the Brut India video, we delved deeper into keyword research using relevant terms. This led us to a report by Latestly, published on December 27, 2023, showcasing videos similar to those shared by Kashif Arsalaan, depicting men vandalizing shops in Bengaluru. However, this report shed light on a different angle of the incident.

According to the report, Bengaluru was embroiled in heightened tensions revolving around language policies. The Kannada Raksha Vedhike organized a protest, urging all businesses in Karnataka to prominently display nameplates in Kannada on Wednesday, December 27. The situation took a tumultuous turn when members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedhika were observed tearing down English posters on the streets of Bengaluru, issuing warnings to businesses for not having Kannada billboards.

The videos captured the intensity of the protests, showcasing demonstrators attacking the English signboards of commercial establishments. Their demand echoed the immediate implementation of a civic body order stipulating that 60% of business signs should be in Kannada.

Hence, all these points prove that Kashif Arsalaan’s assertion of saffron-wearing men vandalizing and looting shops in Karnataka is misleading. Instead, it was the members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedhike who vandalized English posters and billboards in the streets of Bengaluru. Their actions stemmed from a demand for 60% of business signs to be in Kannada.

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