Clip of students being taught how to perform Namaz is of a play rehearsal

By: Annet Preethi Furtado
May 31 2023

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Context
A 27-second clip shot at an educational institute in Baghpat district of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh has garnered considerable traction on social media. In the video, several female pupils pose in postures associated with the offering of Namaz (Islamic prayer), while being overseen and guided by a teacher seated on a chair.

The video was accompanied by a Hindi caption on Twitter which roughly translates to allegations that Hindu girls in the Baghpat school were being trained in Islamic practices by a female teacher, aiming to shape them as future Muslim women. Numerous other Twitter posts with similar captions urged the Baghpat police to investigate the incident and urged Hindu families in the area to recognize the seriousness of the situation. 

In Fact
Logically Facts contacted the Baghpat Police Station for clarification concerning the viral video. An official at the station, who did not wish to be identified, told us that the video is from Hoshiyari Devi Girls Inter College in Rathoda village, which falls
under the jurisdiction of Chhaprauli Police Station. The officer added that the viral video showcases preparations for a cultural program involving certain girls from the college, with a teacher overseeing the rehearsal. Moreover, he said that the viral video is actually a segment from a longer video capturing students rehearsing for a cultural play. He added that the viral video was taken in October 2022, and the allegations of Hindu girls being taught how to perform Namaz at the institute are false.

The Baghpat Police also addressed the issue on Twitter. The official police statement, which referred to Mr. Rampal Shastri, the college's president, Dharamveer Singh, manager of the college, and Munesh Chowdhary, college principal, clarified that the viral video was old and had been cropped from a longer video of the rehearsal for a play.

In addition, we came across a YouTube report on the viral video from ABP Ganga, which includes an interview with Chowdhary, the principal. In the interview, she explains that a program called 'Unity in Diversity' was organized in the school to celebrate children of all religions. One of the plays to be performed during the program featured a scene resembling the one in the viral video. However, she emphasizes that as soon as she became aware of this scene, it was promptly removed from the program. 

Logically Facts also reached out to the administration of Hoshiyari Girls Inter College. Sikha Singh, the daughter of the institute's founder,Dr Jagbir Singh, told us, ''Baghpat Police have determined that this video is fake and was an attempt by some bad actors to malign the institute invoking village politics. The school has always been and will remain a secular institute committed to advancing education for girl students in Rathora and surrounding villages.'' Singh further stated, ''While we support inclusive cultural enrichment, we are in no way religiously affiliated with any denomination. No Namaz or any religious activities are taught at the school. The school is secular, and all cultural programs are inclusive, with havans conducted routinely as well. This video was both doctored and taken out of context.'' 

While we were unable to access the complete video showcasing the students' play, it is clear that a fragment of the rehearsal has been shared along with communal and false claims.

The Verdict
An old video from 2022 depicting students rehearsing for a cultural play at a girl’s college in Baghpat has been maliciously edited and shared out of context, falsely alleging that the students were being taught how to perform Namaz.