https://perma.cc/46GL-KRHJMultiple social media users have shared a collage of two images: one showing the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai and the other featuring the idol of the Hindu god Ganesha located within the temple. The posts claim that the Waqf Board has staked a claim to the temple. 

The viral collage also displays the logo of Sakal, a Marathi-language daily newspaper, on the top right corner, giving the impression that the post originated from the newspaper.

One user wrote a post in Marathi on X, which roughly translates to: “Very infuriating! Waqf Board claims on Siddhivinayak Temple, which is the idol of Hindus and the identity of Mumbai! The Mahavikas Aghadi has given written consent to the demands of the Ulema, including the demand for Waqf. If you want to save temples and forts, vote for Mahayuti!”

The Mahayuti (translated as Grand Alliance) is the ruling coalition in Maharashtra. The alliance currently includes three major parties: the BJP, Shiv Sena (SHS), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

This post, from November 18, 2024, has garnered over 40,000 views. Archived versions of this and similar posts carrying the purported Sakal news graphic, including one by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane, can be found here, here, here, and here.

The Waqf Board is a statutory body in India that manages waqf properties, which are charitable endowments made by Muslims for religious, educational, or community purposes.

Some others have shared the claim without the viral graphic, alleging the same. Archived versions of such posts can be found here and here.

However, our investigation found that the viral claim is false and that the graphic being used to support it has been fabricated.

What did we find?

A reverse image search of the viral collage with the Sakal logo did not yield credible results. No such graphic was found on Sakal Media’s social media accounts, and no report was published by the newspaper.

A visual comparison between the viral graphic and Sakal’s official creatives posted on their social media revealed several discrepancies. Unlike the viral graphic, Sakal’s posts do not have borders, and the text in Sakal creatives is always left-aligned, while the text inside the viral graphic is centered. 

Further, Sakal has issued statements on its social media clarifying that the image is fake. A statement posted by Sakal on X (archived here) in Marathi roughly translates to: “Currently, a misleading creative in the name of ‘Sakal’ has gone viral on social media with the title ‘Waqf Board’s Claim on Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai.’ However, no such creative has been created by ‘Sakal,’ and this mischief has been done by using the name and logo of ‘Sakal.'”

Shital Pawar, Executive Editor of Sakal Media, also posted on X (archived here), clarifying that the viral image is fake.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray reacted to the claim, writing on X (archived here): “The absolutely disgusting mentality of the BJP’s ecosystem. Divide and rule. Lie and try to win. Will the @ECISVEEP and @MumbaiPolice ever act and arrest such disgusting hate creators and Maharashtra haters? Don’t play with our sentiments and emotions in Maharashtra for your votes.”

What did Waqf Board and Siddhivinayak Temple say?

Logically Facts contacted the Maharashtra Waqf Board for clarification. Junaid Syed, CEO of the Maharashtra Waqf Board, told us: “This is fake news. There is no such communication, nor has the board made any such claim.”

A video featuring Pawan Kumar Tripathi, treasurer of the Sri Siddhivinayak Mandir Trust, has been widely shared on social media, where he can be heard saying that the temple is a symbol of Mumbai’s pride and that no board can lay claim to it. He further stated that the temple has always belonged to the devotees of Lord Ganesha and will continue to do so.

Logically Facts contacted Tripathi for further comment. He confirmed that the video was genuine and added that the temple has not received any communication from the Waqf Board and that he has seen no such claim from them.

The verdict

Both the temple authorities and the Maharashtra Waqf Board have confirmed to Logically Facts that no such claim has been made on the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple. Sakal Media also clarified in public statements that the viral social media graphic carrying the news organization’s logo is fake.

(This story was originally published by Logically Facts, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)

New Delhi:

The iconic festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav, has started in full swing nationwide. This year’s celebration will take place over 10 days from September 6 to September 17. 

As devotees celebrate the auspicious occasion with boundless joy in several cities, including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Delhi, here’s a glimpse of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations across India:

Lord Ganesha is worshipped as the “Lord of Beginnings” and the “Remover of Obstacles”.

In honor of the celebration, people decorate their houses with Lord Ganesha idols, hold fasts, cook delicious food, and visit pandals.

In Mumbai, around 15,000 police personnel are deployed on the streets for the next ten days to provide security during the festival.

Lakhs of devotees visit some of the popular pandals such as ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’ during the auspicious occasion.

Devotees also prepare extravagant sweets to offer to Lord Ganesha during the 10-day festival.  

The festival will end when the Lord Ganesha idol is carried in a public procession and immersed (visarjan) in the sea on the day of Anant Chaturdashi on 17th September this year.

A government school teacher in Tripura has made a Lord Ganesha idol with syringes to mark Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. Samiran Dey aims to spread awareness against drug abuse in the state.

Mr Dey, who has been making idols for the last 25 years, tries to deliver a social message through his work.

Amid the rise in the usage of drugs among youngsters, Mr Dey came up with the idea to make a Lord Ganesha idol with syringes. 

The school teacher has added the text “Say No to Drugs” to the idol.

Talking about his work, Samiran Dey said, “I have been associated with idol-making for the last 25 years. Every time I want to give some social message through my work. This time I have decided to give the social message on the ill effects of drugs among young generations.”

He added, “It has been seen that many young generations are spoiling their future after they get trapped in drug addiction. Through my work, I want to generate awareness among the young generations.”

“The young people should know how drugs have been affecting their lives and society. It has also been seen that if anyone in a family has been consuming drugs, the whole family has to suffer. I’ve chosen this social message “Say No to Drugs” to create awareness, particularly among the youths because youths are the future of tomorrow,” Mr Dey continued.

This news about social messages came after Tripura chief minister Dr Manik Saha recently informed that in the last three years, a total of 2,131 people were arrested under the cases related to Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) in the state.

In the past eight years, the country has witnessed a 70 per cent rise in narcotic consumption, and around 100 million substance addicts are present in India. The rising drug abuse in the country is also considered one of the reasons for the increase in crime.

Mumbai:

Mumbai is steeped in devotion to welcome the annual homecoming of Lord Ganesh as the 10-day festival began on Tuesday with decorations in pandals and houses getting final touches.

A total of 2,729 ‘sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals’ have been permitted to organise public Ganesh festivities by erecting ‘pandals’, the city civic body said on Monday.

Preparations for the festival have been completed by conducting a special drive that included checking pandal premises, idol immersion routes and spots.

To maintain security during the festival that sees lakhs of people visiting pandals in ten days, more than 13,750 police personnel have been deployed in the city, an official said.

They comprise 11,726 constables, 2,024 officers from the rank of sub-inspector to the assistant commissioner and 15 deputy commissioners, he said on Monday.

Notifications issued by the traffic police listed several moves for a smooth flow of vehicles in the metropolis, including a ban on heavy vehicles on certain days.

“There will be a ban on the operation of private buses and heavy vehicles in South Mumbai on September 21,24,26 and 29. Between September 19 to 29, all types of heavy vehicles are allowed to operate between midnight and 7 AM, except September 21,24,26 and 29 in South Mumbai,” the official said.

Immersion day (September 28) will see a larger presence of police on the ground and manpower details being chalked out, the official informed.

Ganesh festivities are the most patronised in Mumbai, with idols of Lord Ganesh being installed in pandals and at homes.

From the launch of Chandrayaan-3 to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, Ganesh mandals in Mumbai have gone all out with the themes for the pandals.

Mumbaikars have been thronging the popular shopping spots of the city at Dadar, Crawford Market, and Lohar Chawl, to buy decor items, flowers, and puja materials among other festival paraphernalia.

People are in for a visual treat this year, as the city’s Ganesh mandals have come up with fascinating thematic decorations for their pandals.

Pandal-hoppers will get to see themes of the Chandrayaan-3 launch, Ayodhya Ram Temple, and the 350th anniversary of the coronation of warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, showcased by big mandals or pandals in the city.

While a majority of the big mandals have already brought their idols to the pandals in grand processions over the last few weeks, household ‘bappas’ will make their way home to the beat of drums and happy chants on Tuesday.

A large number of devotees are expected to visit Lalbaug in central Mumbai to catch a glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most celebrated Ganeshas of the city, followed by GSB Seva Mandal’s Ganpati in Matunga, which is considered the richest and known for its grandeur.

Other famous Ganesh mandals are in Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.

Apart from these, people will also get to see the city’s tallest Ganesha at 45 feet in the Khetwadi area of Girgaum.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has completed the works of filling potholes, pruning trees, and cleaning areas, as well as deployment of medical, ‘nirmalya’ and lifeguard teams have been completed.

A BMC release said a special cleanliness drive was undertaken in Mumbai on Sunday as a part of the Union government’s ‘Indian Cleanliness League 2.0’, an intercity cleanliness competition. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)