Video of special pilgrimage train peddled with communal spin

What is the claim?

A video is circulating on social media with the claim that a train in India has been converted into "Muslim Express." Social media users claim a passenger running between Hyderabad in Telangana and West Bengal has been transformed into the "Muslim Express." The viral video in the online posts shows a train on a platform, with its engine decorated with a cardboard replica of a mosque. The video has been shared with the Islamophobic narrative that 'Jihadis'—a derogatory term often used by the right-wing to describe Muslims—are responsible for the so-called conversion of the train. A portion of the caption, originally written in Hindi, of one such post read: "The train going from Hyderabad to West Bengal was converted into Muslim Express by Jihadis. The guard is saying that the car will not go like this, but the Jihadis are adamant that they should send the car like this. What mindset is this?" One post on X, formerly Twitter, with the video has garnered over 18,500 views so far.

Many users shared the video with the same narrative on Facebook as well.

 However, the claim is false. 

What did we find?

We analyzed the viral video and found a poster on the train engine with the Urdu text "Urs Quadeer Mubarak." Taking a cue from this, we located a video posted by the YouTube channel 'gohash.' The video was shared on August 2, 2023, with the title: "46 URS-E-QUADEER HAZRAT KHWAJA SYED MOHAMMED BADSHAH QUADRI CHISHTI YAMANI QUADEER HALKATTA SHAREEF".

The YouTube video featured the same train as the viral clip around the 9-second mark. Both the videos showed the same cardboard replica of a mosque, the same engine number of the locomotive, and the same banner in front of the train engine that read "46th URS-E-QUADEER."

We also spotted the "Urs Quadeer Mubarak" poster plastered on one side of the train in both sets of visuals.

The Urdu term "Urs" signifies the annual commemoration or anniversary of the passing of a Sufi saint or spiritual leader, and '46th URS-E-QUADEER' refers to the 46th celebration of the Urs of Badshah Quadri. Widely remembered as Badshah Quadri or Badesha Qadri, Syed Mohammad Badshah Qadri-ul-Chishti Yamani Raichuri was a revered Indian Sufi saint who belonged to the Chishti order. 

Who are these trains run by?

On July 27, South Central Railways issued a press release regarding the "Unreserved Special Trains between Hyderabad – Wadi for Urs Celebration." The notification stated, "In order to clear extra rush of pilgrims attending 46th Anniversary Celebrations of Urs – e – Shareef of Great Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badesha Quadri Chisthy Yamani o­n August 1, 2023, at Halkatta Shareef near Wadi junction (in Karnataka) four special trains will be run as detailed below." The press release included the train numbers and timings for the special trains.

Such official notifications for the operation of special trains for Urs-e-Quadeer had also been released in the last few years.

Several YouTube channels had also shared videos reportedly showing these special trains operated by the Indian Railways in 2017 and 2018.

What has Indian Railways said?

The Indian Railways has refuted the claim that a "Muslim Express" train runs between Hyderabad and West Bengal, as claimed on social media. Ch. Rakesh, Chief Public Relations Officer, South Central Railways, told Logically Facts, "This (the train in the viral clip) is a special train that was operated between Hyderabad and Wadi. Every year, special trains are operated to clear the extra rush of pilgrims visiting the annual celebrations of Urs-e-Shareef of Hasrath Khwaja Syed Mohammad Badesha Quadri Chisti Yamini. This year, two round trips of the special train were arranged between August 1 and August 3, 2023."

The Indian Railways runs several special trains for passengers on various religious occasions. The Northern Railways had issued a notification for Urs special trains between Barauni in Bihar and Ajmer in Rajasthan on January 25, 2023. The 811th annual Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti had commenced in Ajmer on January 19. The government also operates special trains for the Kumbh Mela—a major Hindu pilgrimage and festival. According to a DD News report, the Indian Railways will run 1,200 special trains from different regions of the country to facilitate devotees flocking to the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj in 2025.

The verdict

A video of a special pilgrimage train between Hyderabad and Wadi in Karnataka is being shared with a false communal claim. The Indian Railways operates the train on the occasion of Urs of Badshah Quadri in Wadi. Therefore, we mark the claim false.