Video of burqa-clad officer at Independence Day celebrations shared as from Karnataka

By: Rohith Gutta
September 4 2023

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What's the claim?

A Facebook user shared a video on August 24, 2023, with text in Telugu that claimed that an IAS officer in Karnataka attended the Independence Day celebrations wearing a burqa. The user linked this to the hijab controversy that erupted in Karnataka in 2022 and said that 'riots have broked out in Karnataka in the past because of women wearing burqa'. An archived version of the post can be found here. 

Another user on X (formerly Twitter) posted the same video on August 29, 2023, with a similar claim in Hindi, adding that 'one wrong vote by the Hindus can turn this country into an Islamic nation.' The post has more than 1,300 views and more than 100 reposts by the time of publication. An archived version of the post can be seen here. 

Screenshot of posts on X and Facebook. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the video is from Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir.  

How do we know?

At around 00:18-00:19 seconds into the video, we could see the text "Kishtwar" written on one of the boards erected at the pavilion on one of the pandals put up where people can sit. Additionally, at the timecode 00:26-0:27 in the viral, we see a vehicle, in which the woman is traveling, pass by a banner erected on a stage, and as the vehicle passes the stage, the words “District Administration Kishtwar” can be seen appear on the banner as seen below. 

Screenshots of District Administration Kishtwar in the viral video (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

The viral video carried the logo of one ‘FAST NEWS’. We searched on Facebook for the said page and found a longer version of the video. 

The video was posted on August 15, 2023, with the title, ‘Independence Day 2023:-Saima Parveen lone vice chairperson kishtwar hoist the National Flag at Chowgan ground kishtwar moreover First time in history vice chairperson kishtwar Saima Parveen lone addressed the General public of kishtwar with hijab. #Burkha lady (sic).”

We can see the woman being escorted by two police officers, with a police officer holding a sword in his right hand. 

Video of Saima Parveen Lone escorted by police officers (Source: Facebook/Fast News)

The viral video is taken from the 00:03-01:01 time frame of the longer video posted by Fast News on their Facebook page. 

The longer video also shows children attending the programme holding a banner. We can also see District Administration Kishtwar printed on the banner at 01:02-01:03 seconds. 

Screenshot of the banner with District Administration Kishtwar from the video (Source: Facebook/Fast News/Modified by Logically Facts)

 The Facebook video post identified the woman in the video as Saima Praveen Lone, vice-chairperson of the Kishtwar District Development Council. We also found a post by 'Information & PR, Kishtwar’ handle on X from February 18, 2021, which mentioned that Lone was elected as the vice-chairperson of DDC. 

Screenshot of the post of I &P\R Department, Kishtwar on X about Saima Parveen Lone (Source: Screenshot/@DICKishtwar/Modified by Logically Facts)

The Department of Public Relations government of Jammu & Kashmir's website reported on the 77th Independence Day celebrations in Jammu & Kashmir. While writing about the ceremony in Kishtwar, the website noted, “The main function was held on the historical Chowgan Grounds where the Vice-Chairperson, District Development Council, Saima Parveen Lone, accompanied by SSP, Khalil Ahmed Poswal, hoisted the tricolor, inspected the parade and took salute at the March Past comprising contingents drawn from Police, IRP, CRPF, CISF, Forest Protection Force, Home guards, SPO Group, NCC battalion of GDC Kishtwar, Anganwari Workers and School children.”

This shows that the woman in the burqa in the video is Saima Parveen Lone from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, and not Karnataka.

The verdict

The video is from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir and shows the Vice-Chairperson of District Development Counci attending th 77th Independence Day celebrations. Therefore, we have marked this claim false.