Fact check: Did Kerala CPI(M) leader visit Maha Kumbh Mela?

Mubashir VP February 25, 2025

senior Kerala CPI(M) leader and former minister, G. Sudhakaran visited Maha Kumbh along with his wife.

Claim:

Sharing a screenshot of premier Malayalam broadcast media 24 News, many users claimed that senior Kerala CPI(M) leader and former minister, G. Sudhakaran visited Maha Kumbh along with his wife. The photo became instantly viral on social media attacking the Left party for discarding party ideals.

A Facebook post by Sreenivas Sree Pathmam, shared on February 23, includes a screenshot of a news article from '24 News Kerala' featuring a headline in Malayalam. The headline mentions Karnataka BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (incorrectly referred to as CPIM leader Nethaji) attending a religious ceremony at the Kumbh Mela. Below the headline, there is an image of Basavaraj Bommai with his wife. The post contains text in Malayalam discussing his presence at the event and includes emojis such as folded hands, hearts, and smiling faces. The news outlet's branding, '24 Twenty Four,' is prominently displayed at the top, along with options to follow on Google News. The post appears to be a misleading claim or satire regarding the politician’s identity.

link

A Facebook post by Sreenivas Sree Pathmam, shared on February 23, includes a screenshot of a news article from '24 News Kerala' with a headline stating that 'CPM leader G Sudhakaran and his wife took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Kumbh Mela.' The post humorously contrasts Marxist ideology with religious participation. Below the headline, there is an image of Basavaraj Bommai, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, with his wife, indicating that the news claim is false. The branding of '24 News' is visible at the top, along with a Google News follow button. The post appears to be misleading, as it misidentifies the politician in the image.

Google translated image of the post

Fact check

Firstly, the DFRAC team investigated the official handles of 24 News to verify the claim. No posts in this regard was found in their official handles.
Then, the team checked the official social media of the leader. It also gave no positive result.
Going further, using Google reverse image search, the probe found that the original photo was posted by the leader on his official Facebook wishing happiness on Onam in 2020. With the caption ‘Hearty Thiruvona Onam day wishes to all..’, the leader had posted the picture with his wife on 31 August, 2020.

A Facebook post by G Sudhakaran, dated August 31, 2020, featuring a photograph of him and his wife dressed in traditional Kerala attire. The post includes a caption in Malayalam and English, extending Onam festival greetings. The image shows G Sudhakaran wearing a yellow shirt and glasses, standing beside his wife, who is dressed in a white saree with a red border. The setting appears to be a residential area with greenery and a window in the background. This original post helps debunk a recent fake news claim that misused this image in a misleading context.

Link

G Sudhakaran is one of the state’s senior CPI(M) party leaders. He is known for his progressive views on religion and social development. A trade union leader from Alappuzha district, he served in the first Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet as Public Works minister from 25 May 2016 – 3 May 2021.

Conclusion

From DFRAC investigation, the viral screenshot of CPI(M) leader visiting Maha Kumbh was found to be edited using the template of popular Malayalam channel 24 News. Thus, the posts are fake.
Analysis: Fake