Fact Check: No, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat didn't say he's lost faith in religion after Covid

An alleged newspaper clipping in Hindi is doing rounds on social media claiming that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said that he has lost faith in religion because of COVID-19 outbreak. According to purported report, number of Coronavirus cases in India has crossed 25,000 and it has resulted in closing of all temples and religious places. It furr states that even our Prime Minister asked people to light candles and bang utensils but that did t work as well. Apart from title- “कोरोना ने तोड़ी मेरी धर्म में आस्था – मोहन भागवत”,  newspaper clip does t carry Mohan Bhagwat’s name.

ORIGIN:

clip started doing rounds on social media, especially Twitter. On May 18, Twitter user @DR_Ambedkarji shared clipping and wrote in Hindi which translates to, "This is greatest news of today. It feels good to see RSS and Mohan Bhagwat’s fear. This fear should be re and soon, people should rid mselves of religion. Our children’s futures need to be better. world has blind faith and is capable of doing anything. y have freedom.” Several or users also share clip on Twitter. 

TRUTH:

On May 19, Narendra Kumar who is  Akhil Bharatiya Sah Prachar Pramukh, RSS refuted claims. He wrote that Bhagwat has never made statement attributed to him and that a false quote is circulating on social media in his name. Also, alleged viral clip has lots of editing mistakes in it. For example, photo of Mohan Bhagwat is t aligned and re is extra spacing between words

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In his address to Sangh workers on April 26, Bhagwat had cautioned against forces inimical to India's interests taking advant of situation, exhorted all to help those affected without any discrimination and stressed on developing a self-reliant ecomy. "We have to be patient and calm. re should be fear or anger as people with anti-India mindset can use it against country," he said in an online address to workers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Bhagwat said India handled this pandemic effectively as government and people responded proactively to crisis. Bhagwat never said that he has lost faith in religion due to Coronavirus.

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