Fact Check: Video showing Rahul and Akhilesh being sent back from election rally in Prayagraj is fake

New Delhi: Amidst the hustle and bustle of Lok Sabha elections, the video of a crowd running in a huge field is viral on social media. In this, people are seen holding Samajwadi Party (SP) flags in their hands. Regarding the video, users are claiming that in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, angry workers sent back Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over the delay. BOOM in its investigation found that the viral claim is misleading. The video is from Phulpur area of ​​Prayagraj, where after seeing their leaders, their supporters went out of control and created chaos. Due to uncontrollable crowd and mic malfunction, Rahul and Akhilesh left without giving speech.

An ex-user posted the video with the hashtag #LokbaSabhaelections2024 and wrote, ‘Rahul chased Akhilesh away in Prayagraj, workers went out of control in anger due to reaching late, Akhilesh ji explained for 15 minutes but did not agree.’
,archive link,

fact check

in viral video india tv Logo was there. BOOM searched Google with keywords related to the video. A report dated 19 May 2024 was found on the website of news outlet IndiaTV, which also contained this video. It was told in the report that there was a public meeting of INDIA alliance in Pandila of Phulpur in Prayagraj, UP, in which as soon as Akhilesh Yadav arrived, the workers became uncontrollable and started trying to climb the stage by breaking the barricades. This caused a huge stampede in the public meeting, due to which many people got injured.

According to the report, cameras and stands of media persons were also broken due to the stampede. There was an atmosphere of chaos due to the chaos. Due to this, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav left without giving speeches. on this incident BBC Published a story on 20 May 2024. It was reported in the report that on May 19 in Prayagraj, India Alliance had two joint rallies in Phulpur and Naini city. In the rally organized in Phulpur, Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav had to return without giving speeches because the crowd present in the rally broke the barricades and reached the stage. The report quoted SP leader Doodhnath Patel as saying, ‘The crowd broke the barricade and reached the stage. In the chaos the mic wire also broke. Chaos spread due to the mic being switched off. The report further read that the security personnel present tried to stop the crowd from reaching the stage but the crowd was larger than expected and the number of security personnel was less, making it even more difficult to control the crowd. A video with live coverage of this public meeting has also been shared on the X handle of Samajwadi Party. The developments can be seen in this also.

Rahul Gandhi has also shared a video of this public meeting with Akhilesh from his/her X account. Due to the mic being faulty, both of them discussed on the stage and recorded it and shared it on social media.

news channel Till today Also told about this rally in Phulpur that Congress and Samajwadi Party workers became so excited that a stampede broke out in the rally.

(This story was originally published boom fact checkAnd republished by NBT as part of Shakti Collective.)