False news of Ram Janmabhoomi Trust’s head’s death goes viral on social media

PTI, Oct 3, 2024, 4:59 PM IST

A picture of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was shared on social media, with users claiming that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra President is dead. In the photo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen bowing to someone lying on a ventilator, which led users to believe and share the false claim.

The PTI Fact Check Desk investigation found this viral claim to be false. The desk discovered that Mahant Nritya Gopal Das is in good health and is recovering at his residence, Mani Ram Das Chhavani, in Ayodhya.

A Facebook user shared a photo along with a post that read, “Extremely sad news, the President of Shri Ram Mandir Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das… took his last breath. Om Shanti Om Shanti.” To verify this claim, the Desk conducted a Google Search using relevant keywords. We found a report published on Amar Ujala’s website on October 1, which stated that Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was healthy. Chhavani’s successor Mahant Kamal Nayan Das also refuted the claim.

He said, “Maharaj Ji is in good health. The rumours spreading on social media are concerning. We urge Ram devotees not to pay attention to such misinformation.” In the Dainik Jagran website report, Mahant’s media spokesperson Sharad Sharma also said that his health is improving and that he has been staying at Ayodhya’s Mani Ram Das Chhavani for the past five days.

The official X account of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra released a statement regarding Mahant Nritya Gopal Das’s health. The statement clarified that the much-circulated post is misleading and false, and the Mahant is in good health.

Finally, the Desk also examined the viral image. It was found that the saint lying on the ventilator in the picture was Swami Smarananand Ji Maharaj. Modi shared this picture on his social media account after meeting him in Kolkata in March 2024.

Based on our investigation so far, it is clear that the news of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das’s death is entirely fake. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das is healthy and recovering.