Yogi Adityanath did not apply ashes of a martyred on his forehead.
Claim
Shri Yogi Adityanath applying the ashes of police constable Raghavendra Singh, who was martyred in the Umesh Pal murder case, in Prayagraj. Chief Minister Maharaj has not seen any Chief Minister to work like this, but till date I have not seen like Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, reaching the house of a martyr to know his condition and taking care of his family, taking the responsibility of taking care of the ashes of the martyr soldier. Applying it on your forehead is the first knowledge of Sanatan Dharma. We express our heartfelt gratitude to such Chief Minister….. #heartfelt tribute Jai Hind
Rating
Explanation
A 29-second video is widely shared on Facebook with the claim that Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is applying the ashes of a police constable Raghavendra Singh, who was martyred in the Umesh Pal murder case, in Prayagraj. He is also praised in the posts for applying the ashes of the martyred on his forehead quoting it as a tradition of Sanatan dharma. Some of the posts with such a claim can be seen here and here.
The posts in Hindi read “प्रयागराज में उमेश पाल हत्याकांड में शहीद हुए पुलिस कांस्टेबल राघवेंद्र सिंह के राख को सर माथे परलगाते श्री योगी आदित्यनाथ। मुख्यमंत्री महाराज ऐसे में काम करने के लिए ऐसा किसी मुख्यमंत्री को नही देखा पर मुख्यमंत्री योगीआदित्यनाथ जैसा आज तक मैंने नहीं देखा कि किसी शहीद के घर पहुंच कर उसका हाल चाल जानना और उसके परिवार की देखरेखका जिम्मा लेना शहीद सिपाही की अस्थियों की राख को अपने माथे पर लगाना यह सनातन धर्म का सबसे पहला ज्ञान है ऐसे मुख्यमंत्रीको हृदय से आभार व्यक्त करते हैं….. #भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि जय हिन्द”.
What is the truth?
This claim was fact-checked earlier by Youturn and published an article in Tamil on 1, April 2022.
Dr. Prachi Sadhvi’s tweet dated 22, March 2022 mentions that ashes of Holika Dahan is applied on the forehead once it gets cold. The viral video of Yogi Adityanath applying ashes on his forehead is seen attached to her tweet.
https://twitter.com/sadhvi_prachi/status/1506310563709997056?s=46&t=kIszbQH_arRSG8kPbuGeZw
Yogi Adityanath celebrated Holi with people in his constituency Gorakhpur on March 19, 2022 after the BJP won the Uttar Pradesh elections. It is a tradition to apply ashes on the forehead as Tilak after Holika Dahan during the festival of Holi in the Gorakhpur temple.
Yogi Adityanath’s tweet dated 19, March 2022 carries a video with the caption “Today, on the auspicious occasion of Holi, the great festival of new-vihan, gaiety and joy, Holi meeting at Shri Gorakhnath Mandir campus…”
नव-विहान, उल्लास एवं आनंद के महापर्व होली के शुभ अवसर पर आज श्री @GorakhnathMndr परिसर में होली मिलन… pic.twitter.com/RRVKe1L8NP
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) March 19, 2022
A video taken on March 19, 2022 when Yogi Adityanath visited the Gorakhpur temple has been posted on Yogi Adityanath’s Twitter page. A person seen in yellow attire in the viral video is also seen in the video taken while Yogi Adityanath was at the Gorakhpur temple confirming that the viral video was from the same event.
A Times of India article dated 5, March 2023 reported about the 2023 Holi celebrations with UP CM Yogi Adityanath. The article mentioned “The celebrations start with tilak by Holikadahan ashes that connects the strength of bhakti with social harmony. RSS pracharak Nanaji Deshmukh had started Bhagwan Narsingh Rangotsav Shobhayatra in 1944 but celebrating Holi with Holika dahan ashes in Gorakhnath temple is even older.”
Conclusion
It is found that Yogi Adityanath applying ashes after Holika Dahan on his forehead as Tilak is falsely shared as he applied ashes of martyred police constable Raghavendra Singh, in the Umesh Pal murder case, in Prayagraj.
