A video is being circulated on social media, showing a man ferrying pedestrians across a flooded road in a pushcart, who is claimed as Indian.
A twitter user, former professor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi and the current Chairperson of the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at the JNU, Jayati Ghosh (@Jayati1609) posted the video on July 27, 2023, quoting “So much of “New India” with its old inequality in this video: collapsing infrastructure devastated by climate change, human ingenuity grasping any income-earning opportunity in a jobless economic context, barefoot worker serving the middle class…”
Fact Check:
The team conducted some research to verify the validity of the claims regarding the viral video. On the website of Indian Express, the team found an article published on September 18, 2022, with the title “Colombian man’s ingenuity to help people cross flooded roads goes viral”
The article cites ,”The video, reportedly taken in Barranquilla in Colombia, shows a man ferrying pedestrians across a flooded road in a type of makeshift push cart, and he is seen taking money for his service.”
The video also shows yellow colour vehicle with a different number plate, as compared to the Indian ones.
When our team searched about the number plate, it was found that Colombia uses yellow plates, which is unique for South American countries. Taxis in Colombia commonly have their plate numbers printed in black text on a white background on the side of the car near the rear. (Source)
You can see the matching image of the Colombian taxi with similar number plate below.
Conclusion:
From DFRAC’s fact check it is evident that the claim made by Jayati Ghosh about the viral video is misleading. The video belongs from Colombia, South America.
