Fact Check: VIP visiting Sabarimala temple is Kerala Governor Arif but not PM Modi
The claim in Telugu goes as “ఎటువంటి ప్రకటన లేకుండా ఇరుముడితో ప్రధాని మోదీ శబరిమల దర్శనం”. When translated, it claims that Indian PM Modi carrying irumudi visits Sabarimala without any prior notice.
A video of a VIP visiting Sabarimala temple and carrying irumudi on his head is going viral on Facebook with the claim that it shows Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi visiting the shrine and offering prayers to Lord Ayyappa.
The claim in Telugu goes as "ఎటువంటి ప్రకటన లేకుండా ఇరుముడితో ప్రధాని మోదీ శబరిమల దర్శనం". When translated, it claims that Indian PM Modi carrying irumudi visits Sabarimala without any prior notice.
The claim is viral on Facebook.
Fact check:
The claim is false. The person seen in the video is NOT Indian PM Modi but is the Kerala Governor visiting the temple and it was published more than a year ago.
We observed the logo M7 news on the top right corner of the video. Taking the cue, when we searched M7 news Kerala, we found the YouTube channel of M7 news, a web-based news channel. The video titled Kerala Governor visits Sabarimala I Arif Mohammad Khan was published on April 11, 2021.
The description of the video states that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan visited Sabarimala. The Governor came to meet Sabarishan by walking up the hill with two hairs and ketumenti... ......... Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan today at 5.10 pm from Pampa and Ketumenti through Swami Ayyappan Road. He came to visit Sabarisha by walking. Travancore Devaswom Board President Adv. N. Vasu, Devaswom Board Member Adv. KS Ravi and Devaswom Commissioner BS Thirumeni received the Governor who arrived at Sabarimala for Darshan in front of the large walkway. Then rest at the guest house. After Padipuja he tied his two hairs and ascended the 18th step and performed Kaliyugavarada darshan. The Governor will also visit on 12.04.2021 in the morning. Later, the governor will plant sandalwood saplings on the Malikappuram temple premises. Then he will go back after participating in the programme which is part of Punyam Poonkavanam project. Along with the Governor, his younger son Kabir Muhammad Khan also came to offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa.
We also found another video published on the same YouTube channel where the Governor participated in the cleaning as part of the Sabarimala Punyam Poonkavanam project.
We found the same visuals in the video published by Times of India, the description states that "as Sabarimala temple is opened for monthly pooja and Vishnu festival from April 10, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan visited the temple complex on April 11 to offer prayers."
The news was carried by local news websites also.
Hence, the claim that the viral video shows Indian prime minister Modi suddenly visiting the Sabarimala temple and performing rituals is false. The video is a year old and shows the Kerala Governor and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi.