Professional Saree Draper’s Malaysian Fashion Show Mistaken for Hindu Wedding, False Communal Claims Spread
A video has surfaced on social media showing a man draping a saree on a woman, leading to false claims and communal tension. The video has been shared with a misleading caption suggesting that a person named Rafiq is starting a business of tying sarees for Hindu women in Hindu weddings. These claims, however, have been debunked, and it has been clarified that the video is not from India but from Malaysia.
The video was initially shared on X (previously Twitter) by a user named @ajaychauhan41, who is known for spreading misinformation. The caption of the tweet, originally in Hindi, implied that Hindus are inviting people like Rafiq who do not differentiate between communities. Another user, @ssaratht, also shared the video with a similar caption, which garnered close to 1,500 re-posts.
उसका नाम रफीक है
काम- हिंदू विवाहों और समारोहों में हिंदू महिलाओं को साड़ियां पहनाते हैं– हिंदू ऐसे लोगों को आमंत्रित कर रहे हैं जो भाई और जान में अंतर नहीं करते
यह एक पुराना वीडियो है लेकिन हमें याद दिलाते रहना होगा। pic.twitter.com/YE1OUf7eUP
— हम लोग We The People 🇮🇳 (@ajaychauhan41) September 6, 2023
Several comments under these tweets expressed communal hatred and questioned the supposed woke mindset of the lady in the video. Some verified users were also seen indulging in hateful discussions. It is alarming how false claims and divisive narratives can quickly spread on social media.
To verify the video’s authenticity, digital verification tools were employed. The video was broken down into key-frames and ran through a reverse image search, leading to a video posted on YouTube channel ViVi TV in July 2019. The description of this video clarified that it was a demonstration by Joseph Jerry, an expert in saree draping from Malaysia.
Further investigation revealed Joseph Jerry’s profile on Facebook, where he is mentioned as an award-winning saree expert in Malaysia. In his posts, he shared pictures of a woman who also appeared in the viral video. Additionally, a fashion show video on Facebook showcased the same woman at the 6:05-minute mark, titled ‘Fashion Show 2019 By Zobha @ 10th Indian Wedding fair 2019’. Instagram photos from Zobha Kancheevaram Weaves, taken during the event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, further confirmed the origin of the video.
In conclusion, it has been established that the viral video is not from India but from Malaysia. The man featured in the video is Joseph Jerry, a professional saree draper, not Rafiq as falsely claimed. The video captures a fashion show, not a Hindu wedding. It is essential to fact-check and avoid sharing videos with a communal spin to prevent the spread of false claims and the incitement of societal discord.
