CLAIM

POST GOES VIRAL

CLAIM TURNS OUT TO BE FALSE

VERDICT

NEW DELHI. In yet another instance of fake news being spread on social media around Kerala floods, a false claim has been made by a Facebook user who goes by the name Sreekumar Sasidharan Nair.Nair's post claimed that union ministers and BJP MPs made a contribution of Rs 25 crore to the Kerala CM’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).In the photo Nair posted, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is seen receiving a cheque of Rs 25 crore and Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam , BJP MP V Muraleedharan and Executive Director of Kochi Refinery Prasad K Panicker could be seen.“Union ministers and BJP MPs have contributed Rs 25 crore to the CM’s relief fund. Now don’t say that you didn’t get it” read the post in Malayalam.Nair’s post went viral with over 9,000 shares and 3,100 likes. But it seems he did not pay attention to the photo he posted while making the claim. Alert social media users, however, did not fall for Nair’s false claim. Local news outlets have also demolished Nair’s claim with reports.It is evident from the photo that the cheque was from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (as highlighted), and clearly not from BJP ministers and MPs as claimed by Nair. Media reports said that central petroleum public sector companies came together to donate the sum to the relief fund.The official Facebook and Twitter accounts of BPCL had shared the same image on August 22 saying, “Bharat Petroleum Corporation is with Kerala. Our teams are tirelessly providing food, water and LPG to the people in the affected areas. Our Kochi Refinery, depots and bottling plants are working non-stop to help and assist.”Times Fact-Check team found the claim to be false.