Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told the state assembly on Wednesday that pace bowler Mohammed Shami had taken a dip in the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela.
On Wednesday, when Opposition parties criticised the alleged mismanagement of the Maha Kumbh Mela on Yogi's watch, the CM launched a counter-attack stating that all arrangements for the Kumbh Mela were in order and that people of all castes, creeds and religions were participating in the spiritual event.
'No discrimination is going on against anyone at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Even cricketer Mohammed Shami took the holy dip,' Yogi stated.
'People from different religions, if they come with devotion in heart, they also take a holy dip in Prayagraj. Yes, but those who come to mock the Sanatan faith, they are scolded and sent back,' Yogi added.
'Did Mohammed Shami change his name to Mohammed Kaif or did he go disguised as Kaif?' asked one netizen (external link).
Photographs and video of Kaif -- who has long retired from cricket -- showing him take a dip in the Yamuna began circulating on the Internet.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav asked, 'Ab kya cricketer ka naam bhi badal diya? (Have you changed the name of a cricketer too?)', a quip directed at Yogi's penchant for changing Mughal era names.
Fact Check
When I checked, I discovered that neither Mohammed Shami nor Mohammed Kaif had traveled to the Maha Kumbh Mela.
About the pictures and video of Kaif taking a dip in the Yamuna, the answer is, yes, he did go to the Yamuna, as he himself tweeted the video on his X account.
Along with the video, Kaif posted (external link)on his X account, 'Is Jamunaji mein tairaki seekha hoon #sangam #prayagraj (I have learnt swimming in this Yamuna river).'
The date on the tweet is December 29, 2024.
The Maha Kumbh Mela began on January 13, 2025.
While Yogi Adityanath was wrong about Shami taking a dip in the Sangam so was Akhilesh Yadav who taunted Yogi if he was mistaking Kaif for Shami.
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