Video of ‘Bangladeshis’ in Shaheen Bagh which got 12 million views talk of Okhla
Since the report of anti-encroachment drive surfaced in the media and then allegations of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Shaheen Bagh started being raised, media and YouTubers have been coming to the locality to gauge residents’ mood. Of many videos, one particular viral video in which one YouTuber is seen asking questions from people coming out from a Shaheen Bagh lane whether they are Bangladeshis is talk of the locality with many Okhla watchers saying either the video is scripted or giving wrong or incomplete information. The video in one day got 12 million views and is still being watched by many.
IN THIS VIDEO RESDIENTS ARE SEEN TALKING ABOUT THE VIRAL VIDEO
The video also has comments from Okhla netizens. When the video was forwarded to a digital media expert, he said initially he couldn’t believe it then on a closer look he said he could make out that the video has been filmed outside one street of Shaheen Bagh and there is something amiss.
The issue was raised by one resident on Monday when media in large number arrived in Shaheen Bagh to cover anti-encroachment drive at the anti-CAA stir site.
Md Jabbir said and other residents lamented that there has been efforts to build a narrative that Bangaldeshis and Rohingyas reside in Okhla, which is totally a false claim.
“To me it looks that something is amiss in the video. It is seen that the YouTuber is asking question from people wearing caps coming out from the lane: Are you from Bangladesh? Most of the people who answered his question say they are. And then the YouTuber moves on,” said one resident on the condition of anonymity.
Another media expert said there are two things: Either it is scripted as all the people in the video claim to be from Bangladesh. “Chances are that they must be part of the YouTuber team or might have been hired by him. The other case can be that as India is becoming medical tourist hub many foreigners come to Delhi for cheap treatment and stay very near to Shaheen Bagh and these people might have come for medical test. As you can see in the video that when the YouTuber asks them: Have you come from crossing the wire or by air? The reply from some was: From air that means by flight. So this shows that those people who came here are wealthy people either students or patients,” he said. Some couldn’t understand Hindi as could be made out after watching the video.
A resident said the YouTuber should have asked more questions: Like why are you here and where are you staying? It looks that the main purpose of the video is to give half message and confuse the people, said one resident.
