Posts repeatedly shared on-line falsely claimed London-based billionaire Asif Aziz donated 500 million {dollars} for the development of a mosque close to a controversial Hindu temple in India, purportedly telling Britain’s Telegraph newspaper he would “dedicate” his wealth to the mission. Nonetheless, the muse tasked with constructing the mosque stated it couldn’t but obtain international donations as of April 1, whereas a spokesperson for Aziz individually refuted the declare. AFP discovered no hint of the purported article on the newspaper’s web site.
The declare was shared on Fb on March 2. The put up claimed Aziz had “drawn international consideration” for donating 5,000 crore taka — round 500 million {dollars} — to construct a mosque subsequent to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the controversial Hindu temple in January, which was constructed on grounds as soon as residence to the centuries-old Babri mosque. The mosque was torn down in 1992 by Hindu zealots incited by members of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Social gathering.
The demolition triggered riots that killed 2,000 folks, most of them Muslims, and shook the foundations of India’s formally secular political order.
Following a protracted authorized battle surrounding the development of Ram temple on the location the place the Babri mosque as soon as stood, India’s prime court docket earmarked a bit of land for the development of a brand new mosque some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from the town.
The put up featured a video which claimed Aziz, a London-based property entrepreneur and philanthropist, supposedly introduced the donation in an interview with The Telegraph.
A narrator stated within the video:Â “In an interview with the UK day by day newspaper The Telegraph, he stated: ‘You do not simply want cash to construct a mosque, you want braveness. I’m able to dedicate all my wealth to maintain the legacy of Babri alive beside Ram Temple'”.
The video didn’t present any screenshot of the purported Telegraph article or present a hyperlink to it.
Posts making the same declare had been additionally shared elsewhere on Fb in addition to on YouTube.
‘No involvement’
Nonetheless, a consultant for the Indo-Islamic Cultural Basis tasked with constructing the mosque advised AFP on April 1 it didn’t have permission but to simply accept international donations.
“There is a thorough scrutiny of the account particulars earlier than approval is given for international donations,” stated Athar Hussain, who serves as secretary for the muse.
A spokeswoman for Aziz individually advised AFP he was not concerned in planning or funding the mosque.
“We wish to make clear that these social media claims are false and inaccurate,” the consultant from Flamepr public relations company stated. “Mr. Asif Aziz has not made any donations or bulletins of 5,000 crore taka in the direction of the development of a mosque in Ayodhya, nor has he been concerned in its planning or funding in any capability.”
A key phrase search on The Telegraph’s web site discovered only one article about Aziz and mosques.
The story — titled “Mosque could also be inbuilt London’s Trocadero” — was revealed on July 16, 2023. It reported on Aziz’s plans to construct a mosque contained in the Trocadero leisure advanced in London’s West Finish (archived hyperlink).
The article didn’t point out the mosque building close to the Ram temple.
