Fact Check: Bhajan kirtans part of Ram Navami processions in Srinagar since 2007
Bhajan kirtans have been organised in Srinagar since 2007, as part of Ram Navami celebrations.
Is it for the first time in 40 years that bhajan kirtans or Hindu hymns are being sung on the streets of Srinagar? Well, several social media posts claim so with the hashtag #ModiHaiTohMumkinHai, implying that it has become possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A video of people chanting "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, Hare Hare" has also been uploaded along with this claim.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the claim is untrue. This religious procession has been regularly organised in Srinagar for the past 12 years.
The archived version of this post can be seen here.
Facebook user Kanak Mishra uploaded the video with the claim: "After 40 years, Hindu hymns were heard in Srinagar, Kashmir. 'Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram' slogans were raised. That is why it is said #ModiHaiTohMumkinHai."
The post was shared by 36,000 users on Facebook at the time of filing this story. At least 190 users commented on the post saying "Jai Shri Ram" and "Har Har Modi".
Prior to this, Twitter user Gautam Bhatt uploaded this video with an almost similar claim. This post was retweeted by more than 150 Twitter users and liked by over 330 netizens.
AFWA scanned the Internet using keywords "Hare Rama Hare Krishna Srinagar" and found that this year in April on the occasion of Ram Navami, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) organised this procession. A news report about this can be read here and a video was posted on YouTube as well.
The Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power for the first time in 2014. AFWA searched the Internet and found that before 2014 as well, this procession was part of Ram Navami celebrations in Srinagar. An article about such procession held in 2013 can be read here.
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