DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A video going viral on social media depicting the demolition of a roadside temple with a claim that the DMK government in Tamil Nadu has demolished a Lord Ganesha temple, despite widespread protests.
The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has demolished a Lord Ganesha temple, ignoring widespread protests.
Claiming it was on occupied land, they singled out the temple despite other buildings around it.
The demolition, carried out post-election, exposes their anti-Hindu bias. pic.twitter.com/c4NoGqALoh
— Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (Modi ka Parivar) (@SVishnuReddy) June 2, 2024
The claim reads: “The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has demolished a Lord Ganesha temple, ignoring widespread protests. Claiming it was on occupied land, they singled out the temple despite other buildings around it. The demolition, carried out post-election, exposes their anti-Hindu bias.”
It has been widely shared and can be accessed here and here.
It was also covered by ABP news in Telugu as seen here:
FACT-CHECK:
When Digiteye India received a request to fact-check the video, we first took out key frames of the video and searched on Google Reverse Image Search. The results showed that the video was correct but the claim was not true.
News reports say that the temple of Pillaiyar (Vinayaka), located on Gandhi Road in Kallakurichi was demolished by authorities, following the Madras High Court order to remove 36 encroachments including several buildings and temples located along the irrigation canal.
கள்ளக்குறிச்சியில் காந்தி சாலையில் நீர்வழி தடத்தை ஆக்கிரமித்துக் கட்டப்பட்டிருந்த பிள்ளையார் கோவில் பலத்த போலீஸ் பாதுகாப்புடன் இடித்து அகற்றும் பணி தீவிரம்#KallaKurichi | #Temple | #Demolish | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/kNk1bw4pUi
— Polimer News (@polimernews) June 1, 2024
When we searched further, we found the official explanation of the demolition by the DIPR, Government of Tamil Nadu here:
Temple demolished in kallakurichi: An Old case against encroachment!
Fact checked by FCU | @CMOTamilnadu @TNDIPRNEWS pic.twitter.com/FwvZL3PbHR
— TN Fact Check (@tn_factcheck) June 2, 2024
The authorities explained that the move to demolish temples on Gandhi Raod in Kallakuruchi was based on a 2020 case before the Madras High Court, in which the court ordered removal of 36 building illegally constructed along the irrigation canal including private buildings, houses, medical shop and the temple.
In 2020, the AIADMK-led government was in power in Tamil Nadu. The DMK came to power in May 2021. Further, the court orders are carried out irrespective of which party’s government is in power. Hence, the claim that it was a move by the DMK government was not true.
Claim: Video showing demolition of a temple claims that the DMK government in Tamil Nadu has demolished a Lord Ganesha temple, despite widespread protests.
Conclusion: The claim is false. Following a four-year-old case before the Madras High Court, the municipal authorities started the demolition of temple as part of the drive to remove 36 buildings encroaching an irrigation canal in Kallalurichi, Tamil Nadu.
Rating: Misleading — 
