Fact Check: No, Waqf Board Hasn't Staked Claim To Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple

https://perma.cc/46GL-KRHJMultiple social media users have shared a collage of two images: one showing the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai and the other featuring the idol of the Hindu god Ganesha located within the temple. The posts claim that the Waqf Board has staked a claim to the temple. 

The viral collage also displays the logo of Sakal, a Marathi-language daily newspaper, on the top right corner, giving the impression that the post originated from the newspaper.

One user wrote a post in Marathi on X, which roughly translates to: "Very infuriating! Waqf Board claims on Siddhivinayak Temple, which is the idol of Hindus and the identity of Mumbai! The Mahavikas Aghadi has given written consent to the demands of the Ulema, including the demand for Waqf. If you want to save temples and forts, vote for Mahayuti!"

The Mahayuti (translated as Grand Alliance) is the ruling coalition in Maharashtra. The alliance currently includes three major parties: the BJP, Shiv Sena (SHS), and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

This post, from November 18, 2024, has garnered over 40,000 views. Archived versions of this and similar posts carrying the purported Sakal news graphic, including one by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane, can be found here, here, here, and here.

The Waqf Board is a statutory body in India that manages waqf properties, which are charitable endowments made by Muslims for religious, educational, or community purposes.

Some others have shared the claim without the viral graphic, alleging the same. Archived versions of such posts can be found here and here.

However, our investigation found that the viral claim is false and that the graphic being used to support it has been fabricated.

What did we find?

A reverse image search of the viral collage with the Sakal logo did not yield credible results. No such graphic was found on Sakal Media's social media accounts, and no report was published by the newspaper.

A visual comparison between the viral graphic and Sakal's official creatives posted on their social media revealed several discrepancies. Unlike the viral graphic, Sakal's posts do not have borders, and the text in Sakal creatives is always left-aligned, while the text inside the viral graphic is centered. 

Further, Sakal has issued statements on its social media clarifying that the image is fake. A statement posted by Sakal on X (archived here) in Marathi roughly translates to: "Currently, a misleading creative in the name of 'Sakal' has gone viral on social media with the title 'Waqf Board's Claim on Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai.' However, no such creative has been created by 'Sakal,' and this mischief has been done by using the name and logo of 'Sakal.'"

Shital Pawar, Executive Editor of Sakal Media, also posted on X (archived here), clarifying that the viral image is fake.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray reacted to the claim, writing on X (archived here): "The absolutely disgusting mentality of the BJP's ecosystem. Divide and rule. Lie and try to win. Will the @ECISVEEP and @MumbaiPolice ever act and arrest such disgusting hate creators and Maharashtra haters? Don't play with our sentiments and emotions in Maharashtra for your votes."

What did Waqf Board and Siddhivinayak Temple say?

Logically Facts contacted the Maharashtra Waqf Board for clarification. Junaid Syed, CEO of the Maharashtra Waqf Board, told us: "This is fake news. There is no such communication, nor has the board made any such claim."

A video featuring Pawan Kumar Tripathi, treasurer of the Sri Siddhivinayak Mandir Trust, has been widely shared on social media, where he can be heard saying that the temple is a symbol of Mumbai's pride and that no board can lay claim to it. He further stated that the temple has always belonged to the devotees of Lord Ganesha and will continue to do so.

Logically Facts contacted Tripathi for further comment. He confirmed that the video was genuine and added that the temple has not received any communication from the Waqf Board and that he has seen no such claim from them.

The verdict

Both the temple authorities and the Maharashtra Waqf Board have confirmed to Logically Facts that no such claim has been made on the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple. Sakal Media also clarified in public statements that the viral social media graphic carrying the news organization's logo is fake.

(This story was originally published by Logically Facts, and republished by NDTV as part of the Shakti Collective)