Viral Video Claiming to Show Yadav Protest in Etawah is Actually from Rajasthan Political Rally

A video showing a sea of yellow flags, a large crowd, halted traffic, and a young man standing atop a black SUV has recently gone viral on social media. The video, which quickly captured the attention of many, features a text overlay claiming it shows a procession of “Yadav brothers” in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh.

Social media users were quick to react, with some claiming, “Etawah has awakened; the insult of the storyteller will no longer be tolerated.” Others commented, “This is the real power of caste, as shown on the streets of Etawah.” The video rapidly became a tool to inflame caste sentiments, with many believing it depicted the Yadav community’s outrage following a recent dispute involving a religious storyteller in Etawah.

But is this really from Etawah? Is it a recent video, or is it yet another misleading piece of content hiding the truth?

When the India Today Fact Check team investigated the video, the first thing they noticed was the watermark: “Ravindra Bhati Under9.” This led them to an account belonging to Ravindra Singh Bhati, an MLA from the Shiv constituency in Rajasthan. The video was originally posted on April 4, 2024, months before the recent Etawah controversy.

Further investigation, including a reverse image search of key frames from the video, revealed that the same footage appeared in an Instagram post dated April 4, 2024, from Barmer, Rajasthan. On that day, Ravindra Singh Bhati was holding a nomination rally as an independent candidate for the Barmer Lok Sabha seat. The rally drew a large crowd, many of whom waved yellow flags bearing Bhati’s image—the same flags seen in the viral video.

Moreover, a longer version of the video was found on the same Instagram account, posted on the same day. Several news reports from April 2024 also confirmed the event. After the rally, Congress candidate Beniwal defeated Bhati in the election.

In summary, the viral video does not show a protest in Etawah but is actually footage from a political rally in Barmer, Rajasthan. The video is not related to the recent storyteller controversy but has been deliberately shared with misleading claims to provoke caste-based tensions.

While there were indeed protests and some arrests in Dapur village, Etawah, related to the storyteller incident, the viral video is not connected and serves only to spread misinformation. It is an old political video being given a new, misleading context.

Remember: not every video of a passionate crowd is a protest, not every flag is a demand for justice, and not every viral video tells the truth. Always think and verify—because the truth often hides behind the noise.