Three videos doctored: forensics

Forensic examination has revealed that three out of the seven video clips of the alleged ‘anti-national’ sloganeering in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on February 9, examined by the Delhi government, have been found to be ‘doctored’, sources told the Indian Express on Monday.

The video samples were sent by the Delhi government to Truth Lab in Hyderabad. On February 13, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi had ordered the District Magistrate (New Delhi) to file a factual report about the incident, following conflicting claims of different parties shouting allegedly anti-national slogans on the JNU campus.

The above, from an Indian Express story out just now. More details in the story, and also in this IndiaToday video.

Additionally, from the Indian Express news report:

Not one of ours — except when she is

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has said Sadhvi Prachi is neither its leader, nor spokesperson, nor official.

Cool. Though a casual “Sadhvi Prachi + VHP” search just now turned up stories of her appearances, and speeches, at various VHP functions — including this one at around the same time last year, when she was banging on about “ghar wapsi”. And this one, also from the same time, where she was being classy about a community that has “30 or 40 puppies”.

PS: Off for the day. Be well, all.

 

Smoke over the city

Quick read: Meera Subramaniam reports on Deonar for the New Yorker.

Exchange rates

@bhagwat_148 :In 2017 $1=Re 1

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 22, 2012

Cool. In just a year from now…

Ok wait — I am not on a baiting trip or anything. Was clearing outdated stuff from my Evernote account, came across this, had a giggle and shared is all. Honest.

Unringing bells

Yesterday, the DM of Bastar posted his thoughts on the Soni Sori attack.

The post said outsiders have set up a propaganda machine in Bastar, which is no less than a war zone. “Attack on Soni is surprising as trail of events (that she was attacked with acid) travelled to media faster than speed of light. It seems to be well-planned (sic) a day when PM Modi was visiting the state. It is difficult to digest and impossible to believe, but it was a staged event.”

Decoding Maoist propaganda in Bastar, the post says, “The next bigger surprise came from Soni Sori. The seemingly staged event was blown out of proportion by the national media as an acid attack. How is that all of them have access to one photo with the phrase acid attack within a short time.”

I don’t know about Facebook, but on Twitter the post took off, with its amplifiers pointing to it and going see, we knew it was fake all along.

Today, the DM deletes his Facebook post. None of the posters from a day earlier is seen going oh, oops, maybe we spoke too soon. The bell has been rung; the thought has been embedded in the collective consciousness, and it becomes an integral part of the narrative. And that is precisely the problem with loose mouths — the damage that they do lives after them.

 

How to steal a Rs 79,000 crore forest

Read: A minutely detailed Chitrangada Choudhury story of an organised attempt to fool, and defraud, Odhisha’s Adivasis.