With a striking tally of 135 seats, the Congress party triumphed over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka assembly election 2023. The incumbent BJP suffered a major blow as it managed to secure only 66 seats.
Soon after the election results, videos of the celebrations of Congress supporters began surfacing on various social media platforms. Among these videos, one in particular that featured a man waving a green flag quickly drew considerable attention and sparked intense speculation.
Claims quickly spread alleging that a Pakistani flag was waved in Bhatkal, Karnataka after a Congress candidate won the constituency. Further, it has also been suggested that Muslim supporters of the Congress party replaced the saffron flag with the Islamic flag.
Fact Crescendo received the image on our WhatsApp Tipline (9049053770) with fact-check requests.
We found out that the green flag was not the Pakistani flag but rather a religious flag, while no other religious flags were removed during the celebrations.
WHAT’S THE CLAIM?
A short clip depicts a man waving a green flag with a star and crescent on it. The accompanying caption states: “Video of the day. Pakistani flag hoisted in Karnataka India.”
The same video was also shared on Facebook with a caption that reads: कर्नाटक में चुनाव जीते ही कांग्रेसियों केे हाथों द्वारा पाकिस्तानी झंडा फहराने लगा. (Congress supporter waved Pakistani flag after the party’s victory in Karnataka election)
Original Post – Facebook
Some users even claimed that the Saffron flag, representing the Hindu community, was replaced by the Islamic flag in Bhatkal after Congress won the Karnataka election.
Original Post – Facebook
Several influential Twitter users with a substantial following, including BJP’s IT Cell head Amit Malviya, shared the viral clip, making communal assertions that insinuated Muslim dominance in Karnataka under the Congress party’s rule. Some even referenced convicted terrorist Yasin Bhatkal’s connection to the area.
FACT-CHECK
The viral video is indeed from Bhatkal, a coastal town in the Uttara Kannada District of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was captured on 13 May at Shamsuddin Circle in the city.
The video shows a celebration after the victory of Congress candidate Mankal Vaidya with more than 30 thousand votes.
Let’s debunk the first claim about the Pakistani flag.
A visual examination of the green flag depicted in the viral video confirms that it is not the Pakistani flag.
The national flag of Pakistan features a dark green background with a white crescent moon and a star, along with a vertical white stripe on the hoist side.
In contrast, the flag in the viral clip lacks the white stripe, and the crescent moon and star are positioned in opposite directions, clearly distinguishing it from the Pakistani flag.
Uttara Kannada SP Vishnuvardhana N told media that the flag seen in the video was a religious flag, not a Pakistani flag. The officers present at the scene had verified that it was not a Pakistani flag.
Saffron Flag Wan Not Removed
Earlier in the election result day, no flags were visible in the Shamsuddin Circle, as verified through available videos capturing the election victory celebrations in Bhatkal on 13 May.
However, once it became clear that the Congress candidate was in the lead, supporters gathered in the circle and raised various coloured flags.
Initially, the crowd brandished Congress flags, followed by the blue flags adorned with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s face.
Screengrabs from – Video 1 | Video 2
We came across a clear image and video where all four flags – Saffron, Blue, Green, and the flag representing the Congress candidate – were flying together in the circle.
We reached out to the user who uploaded this image.
According to his account, supporters from all faiths and communities had come together to celebrate the victory of the Congress candidate Mankal Vaidya.
The user further told that all flags were taken down after the peaceful conclusion of the celebration. No untoward incidents or communal clashes were reported in relation to the display of flags.
We came across multiple videos depicting both green and saffron flags being waved together in a peaceful manner.
Bhatkal Police clarified to Fact Crescendo that no religious flags were removed or replaced by flags of other religions during the celebrations. The celebrations were carried out peacefully without any incidents.
The SHO also dismissed online claims of a Pakistani flag being waved in Bhatkal, stating that the green flag was in fact a religious flag.
Original Post – Facebook
Islamic Flag or Not?
There is no single Islamic flag that represents the entire Islamic world, as the design and symbolism vary across different countries and organizations. However, the green colour, crescent moon and star are commonly associated with Islam.
Former Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi, who has converted to Hinduism and renounced Islam, has filed a petition in 2018 seeking the ban of the green flag with a crescent moon and star in India, arguing that it is ‘un-Islamic’.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the communal claims surrounding the green flag waving in Bhatkal during the Congress party’s victory celebrations are baseless and false. The green flag seen in the video was not the Pakistani flag but rather a religious flag, while the saffron flag was not removed during the celebrations. In fact, multiple flags of different colours, including saffron, green, blue, and Congress party flags, were waved harmoniously, signifying unity and solidarity among the supporters.
(If you come across any news, videos, or images that seem too good (or bad) to be true, don’t hesitate to send them our way. Our team of fact-checkers will look into it and then share our findings with you. Together, we can fight the spread of fake news and misinformation. Our WhatsApp number is 9049053770. To stay updated, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)
Title:Pakistani Flag Was Not Waved In Bhatkal After Congress Won In Karnataka Elections
Fact Check By: Mayur Deokar
Result: False
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