DigitEye India Fact Checkers
Social media posts that claim that the Congress poll symbol is borrowed from Islam is going viral with Islamophobic claims. The posts show a hand with Arabic calligraphy on one side and the Congress symbol on the other. It alleges that the poll symbol was drawn from the Islamic faith.
Another Shocking Fact ..
Hazrat Imam Hussain Ali, who was martyred in the field of Karbala, is considered a symbol of Islamic bravery, Islamic struggle and Islamic sacrifice. In Islam, idol or photo worship is prohibited, hence instead of worshiping any photo or idol, only the… pic.twitter.com/arpbcLu2GG
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Digiteye India also received a request to fact-check this viral claim on WhatsApp.
FACT CHECK
The Islamic hand symbol is known as the ‘Panja Alam.’ According to Google Arts & Culture, this is an important religious object in Islam. It mentions, “five fingers of the protective hand symbolize the last prophet Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH), Hazrat Fatima, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Hasan and Hazrat Husain. This Punja alam is fully inscribed on both sides.”
The Digiteye India team conducted a keyword search on Google to find out more about the history of the Congress Party’s poll symbol. A report published by The Times Of India on April 5, 2019, mentioned that the party’s symbol has changed through the years. It mentions that between 1952 to 1969, Congress was represented by a pair of bullocks carrying a yoke. However, when Indira Gandhi launched INC (R) after being expelled, the party was represented by a cow with a sucking calf. The palm symbol was used by Indira Gandhi when she split from Congress(R) and started the Congress (I) in 1977.
Another report by NDTV published on April 1, 2018, mentioned that Buta Singh – then general secretary of the All India Congress Committee – had asked the Election Commission for a new symbol. He was given these choices – an elephant, a bicycle and an open palm. Singh sought out Indira Gandhi’s approval and that is how the open palm was selected.
A report by The Wall Street Journal published on March 28, 2012 mentioned, “Former prime minister Indira Gandhi was advised by other party officials to select between the hand and the elephant ahead of the 1980 elections. At that time, both images were ‘free symbols,’ available for any party to pick from, as the frock, cake and nail clippers and many other household items are today.”
Additionally, an order by the Election Commission of India in 2017 stated that “the symbols proposed by the parties shall have no resemblance to the existing reserved symbols or free symbols, nor shall have any religious or communal connotation or depict any bird or animal.”
The claim is, hence, false.
CLAIM: A viral social media image claims that the Congress Party’s poll symbol of an open palm is borrowed from the Islamic faith.
CONCLUSION: The Congress Party has changed its poll symbols throughout the year. The current symbol of the open palm came into existence in 1977. Additionally, the Election Commission of India has clearly mentioned in its order that no party should have a symbol with a religious or communal connotation.
RATING: Misrepresentation — 
