Tablighi fallout: Fake videos across social media affecting Muslim vendors in Hyderabad

A 45-second video of an employee at a restaurant packing food has been shared with the claim that a Muslim man is spitting on the food before delivering it to customers.
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)
For representational purposes (Photo | PTI)

HYDERABAD: Post the Tablighi incident, several fake videos are being widely circulated on Whatsapp, Facebook and other social media platforms, claiming that Muslims in the city are spreading COVID-19 by licking or spitting on fruits, vegetables, delivery food and utensils.

Sharing these videos, many urged people not to buy supplies from Muslim vendors, prompting discrimination and boycott of those who are already losing out on their business.

A 45-second video of an employee at a restaurant packing food has been shared with the claim that a Muslim man is spitting on the food before delivering it to customers.

Roop Darak, Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Telangana State spokesperson tweeted the viral video and called for a boycott of such shops.

The video was retweeted over 1,000 times and got more than 21,000 views.

According to the several fake news busting portals, the video in question is a year old and is not from India.

This is not an isolated incident, there has been a deluge of such false and malicious posts against Muslims that are going viral with texts such as — “Refrain from eating things from the market and notice the lowliness of those who wear a cap.”

Speaking to Express, D Hema, who works as a house help and lives in a Muslim-dominated area near Begumpet, said, “After the Tablighi reports, many such videos are doing rounds on WhatsApp, due to which we are scared of buying supplies from Muslim shops.”

When we enquired with Muslim meat and vegetable shop vendors in the city, they seem to be scared and quick to disassociate themselves from Tablighi Muslims.

“We know that these videos and rumours are going around for the last few days, due to which our sales have also seen a dip. But, I hope people will not believe in all those rumours as they have known us for the last many years,” a fruit vendor at Prakash Nagar lamented.

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