It is a well-known fact by now that certain 'liberal' anonymous handles on Twitter are well-capable of stooping to downright deplorable levels of perversity for a performative crusade against the ruling BJP dispensation. Such an instance was seen today when an account shared an image, clicked two years back, of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya meeting the party's West Bengal unit chief Dilip Ghosh at a hospital and falsely claimed it as a giddy display of recklessness amid the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak.
Claim: BJP's Kailash Vijayvargiya met COVID-positive Dilip Ghosh without a mask
The account, going by the handle @_TheEnigmous on Twitter, shared the image, which quickly went viral, of Vijayvargiya meeting Dilip Ghosh, who had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier, and captioned it on a piquant note.
"Meeting COVID Positive Dilip Ghosh without wearing any Mask. Only BJP Leaders can Show Such Courage," the caption read.
One can only hope that such wit be reserved for where it is necessary, instead of only putting it up for display for spiteful reasons.
Conclusion: Used picture is from two years ago, confirms report
The picture in question was, in fact, clicked in 2018 when Dilip Ghosh was reportedly admitted at a private hospital after falling ill while gearing up for Saraswati Puja preparations at Kharagpur. Kailash Vijayvargiya had come to meet him at AMRI Mukundapur, where Ghosh remained admitted back then for slip disk injuries.
According to a report detailing the incident from two years ago, Ghosh "was on his way to return from a public meeting in Asansol. He had plan to celebrate Vasant Panchami in Kharagpur. But a sudden pain in waist have obstructed him. He was sent to AMRI Mukundapur for further treatment."
The same 2018 report also carries the photo which was used disingenuously today as some supposed statement against the BJP during these times.
The ruse did not go unnoticed, however. A Twitter user called out the anonymous account for spreading fake news and linked the original article from two years back detailing the incident.
Verdict: False
In times of humanitarian crises such as the one that coronavirus poses, it is especially necessary to remain vigilant of fake news being circulated for nefarious reasons, for political purposes or otherwise.
