By: Mohammad Salman
September 6 2024
No, video doesn't show Akhilesh Yadav jumping over fence to 'evade journalists'
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Screenshot of the viral video, which claims to show SP chief Akhilesh Yadav fleeing from journalists. (Source: X/Screenshot)
Fact-Check
The Verdict False
The video, from October 2023, shows SP leader Akhilesh Yadav jumping over a gate to enter a closed venue on Jayaprakash Narayan's birth anniversary.
What is the claim?
A video of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav jumping over a gate while surrounded by media has gone viral with the claim that it shows him fleeing to avoid questions about a minor girl’s alleged rape by SP leader Nawab Singh.
On X (formerly Twitter), a user posted the video with a Hindi caption stating (translated), “As soon as the DNA test confirmed the rape of a minor girl by Samajwadi Party leader Nawab Singh Yadav, reporters from various channels surrounded Akhilesh Yadav. Unable to answer, he was forced to flee by jumping over the gate!”
Archived versions of similar claims can be viewed here and here. The same video was also shared by Sadhvi Prachi with derogatory comments about Akhilesh Yadav, but it has since been deleted. The archived version can be seen here.
Screenshots of viral posts. (Source: X/Screenshot)
However, we discovered that the video is from October 2023.
What we found
A keyword search reveals that the video dates back to October 2023. It shows Akhilesh Yadav jumping over a locked gate to enter the Jayaprakash Narayan International Center (JPNIC) in Lucknow to offer flowers for Jayaprakash Narayan's birth anniversary.
Media reports from October 11, 2023, confirm this. On that day, Yadav visited JPNIC to pay tribute, but the gate was locked, so he and his supporters jumped over it to access the statue.
ABP News reported on October 11, 2023 (archived here), that the gate was locked during Yadav’s visit. The report includes Yadav criticizing the state government for the poor condition of JPNIC and questioning why the government had blocked access this year when the Samajwadi Party traditionally visits annually.
Multiple media outlets, including Indian Express, Press Trust of India (PTI), Jansatta, and News18, covered the incident, using videos and photos from the scene.
On October 11, 2023, Akhilesh Yadav also posted two photos on X (archived here): one showing him with folded hands in front of Jayaprakash Narayan's statue and another showing him jumping over the gate.
Further investigation revealed that permission for the event was sought from the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). However, citing security concerns, the LDA denied permission and locked the gate to prevent Yadav and his supporters from entering.
What is the Nawab Singh case?
On August 11, 2024, SP leader Nawab Singh was arrested in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly raping a minor girl in his college. On August 17, Nawab Singh’s DNA sample was taken, and according to a news report by Bhaskar, the DNA match confirmed the rape.
The verdict
Our investigation confirms that the viral video is from October 2023, when Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a gate to enter JPNIC and offer flowers for Jayaprakash Narayan’s birth anniversary.
(Translated by Vanita Ganesh)