Wed Nov 20 16:05:13 UTC 2024: ## Fake News Claims Waqf Board Seeks Control of Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple

**Mumbai, India** – A fabricated social media post claiming the Waqf Board has staked a claim to the revered Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai has gone viral, sparking outrage and political reactions. The deceptive post, widely shared on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, featured a collage of the temple and its Ganesha idol, falsely bearing the logo of the Marathi newspaper, Sakal.

The false claim gained traction after being shared by several users, including BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, garnering tens of thousands of views. One post on X translated roughly to, “Very infuriating! Waqf Board claims on Siddhivinayak Temple…If you want to save temples…vote for Mahayuti!” The Mahayuti, the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (SHS), and NCP.

However, an investigation by Logically Facts has revealed the claim to be entirely false. A reverse image search found no such report published by Sakal Media, and the newspaper publicly denounced the fabricated graphic on its social media accounts. Shital Pawar, Executive Editor of Sakal Media, confirmed the image was fake.

The Maharashtra Waqf Board’s CEO, Junaid Syed, categorically denied any claim on the temple, stating, “This is fake news. There is no such communication, nor has the board made any such claim.” Pawan Kumar Tripathi, treasurer of the Sri Siddhivinayak Mandir Trust, echoed this, confirming in a widely shared video that the temple has received no such communication and that the claim is false.

The false report has drawn political fire, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray criticizing the BJP’s “disgusting mentality” for spreading such divisive misinformation.

Logically Facts’ investigation definitively concludes that the claim of the Waqf Board staking a claim to the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple is false. The viral image used to support this claim has been confirmed as fabricated by Sakal Media and all relevant authorities.

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