#FactCheck - Viral Image of AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi Holding Lord Rama Portrait Proven Fake
Executive Summary:
In recent times an image showing the President of AIMIM, Asaduddin Owaisi holding a portrait of Hindu deity Lord Rama, has gone viral on different social media platforms. After conducting a reverse image search, CyberPeace Research Team then found that the picture was fake. The screenshot of the Facebook post made by Asaduddin Owaisi in 2018 reveals him holding Ambedkar’s picture. But the photo which has been morphed shows Asaduddin Owaisi holding a picture of Lord Rama with a distorted message gives totally different connotations in the political realm because in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Asaduddin Owaisi is a candidate from Hyderabad. This means there is a need to ensure that before sharing any information one must check it is original in order to eliminate fake news.
Claims:
AIMIM Party leader Asaduddin Owaisi standing with the painting of Hindu god Rama and the caption that reads his interest towards Hindu religion.
Fact Check:
In order to investigate the posts, we ran a reverse search of the image. We identified a photo that was shared on the official Facebook wall of the AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on 7th April 2018.
Comparing the two photos we found that the painting Asaduddin Owaisi is holding is of B.R Ambedkar whereas the viral image is of Lord Rama, and the original photo was posted in the year 2018.
Hence, it was concluded that the viral image was digitally modified to spread false propaganda.
Conclusion:
The photograph of AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi holding up one painting of Lord Rama is fake as it has been morphed. The photo that Asaduddin Owaisi uploaded on a Facebook page on 7 Apr 2018 depicted him holding a picture of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. This photograph was digitally altered and the false captions were written to give an altogether different message of Asaduddin Owaisi. It has even highlighted the necessity of fighting fake news that has spread widely through social media platforms especially during the political realm.
- Claim: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi was holding a painting of the Hindu god Lord Rama in his hand.
- Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter)
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
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Introduction
In today's digital economy, data is not only a business asset but also the fuel for innovation, decision-making, and consumer trust. However, the digitisation of services has made personal or sensitive data a top target for cybercriminals. The stakes are high: a data breach can cost millions of fines, cause damage to reputation and devastate the confidence of consumers. Therefore, regulatory compliance and data protection have become a strategic imperative.
From the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of India, various sector-specific regulations like HIPAA for healthcare in the US, companies are now subject to a web of data protection and compliance laws. The challenge is to balance compliance efforts with strong security, a balance that demands both policy restraint and technical resilience. This blog examines pivotal pillars, shifting trends and actionable best practices for dominating data protection and compliance in 2025 and beyond.
Why Data Protection and Compliance Matter More Than Ever
Data protection isn't just about keeping fines at bay, it's about preserving the relationship with customers, partners and regulators. A 2024 IBM report says the average data-breach cost has now exceeded USD 4.5 million, with regulatory fines constituting a large portion of the cost. In addition to economics, breaches tend to result in intellectual property loss, customer loss and long-term brand attenuation. Compliance ensures organisations remain within certain legislative necessities for collecting, holding, transferring and setting of personal and sensitive information. Failure to conformity can lead to serious penalties: under GDPR, fines could be up to 4% of the company's annual turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher. In regulated sectors like banking and healthcare, compliance breaches can also lead to the suspension of licenses.
Important Regulatory Frameworks Informing 2025
- GDPR and Its Global Ripple Effect
GDPR was enacted in 2018 and continues to have a ripple effect on privacy legislation worldwide. Its tenets of lawfulness, transparency, data minimisation and purpose limitation have been replicated in many jurisdictions such as Brazil's LGPD and South Korea's PIPA.
- India's DPDP Act
The DPDP Act, 2023, gives high importance to consent-based processing of data, transparent notice rules and fiduciary responsibilities for data. With a penalty for default of up to INR 250 crore, it's amongst the most impactful laws for digital personal data protection.
- Sectoral Regulations
- HIPAA for healthcare information in the US.
- PCI DSS for payment card security.
- DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) in the EU for financial organisations.
- These industry-specific models generate overlapping compliance responsibilities, making cross-enterprise compliance programs vital.
Key Pillars of a Sound Data Protection & Compliance Program
- Data Governance and Classification
Having insight into what data you have to store, where it is stored and who can have access to it is the keystone of compliance. Organisations need to have data classification policies in place to group information based on sensitivity and impose more rigorous controls on sensitive data.
- Security Controls and Privacy by Design
Strong technical defences, encryption, multi-factor authentication, and intrusion detection are the initial defences. Privacy by design integrated in product development guarantees compliance is thought through from the initial stage, not added on afterwards.
- Consent and Transparency
Contemporary data legislation highlights informed consent. This entails simple, non-technical privacy notices, detailed opt-in choices, and straightforward withdrawal options. Transparency produces trust and lessens legal danger.
- Incident Response and Breach Notification
Most laws demand timely breach notifications, and GDPR insists on reporting within 72 hours. Having a documented incident response plan maintains legal deadlines and reduces harm.
- Employee Training and Awareness
Human mistake is the top source of data breaches. Ongoing training in prevention of phishing, password management, basic cyber hygiene and compliance requirements is crucial.
Upcoming Trends in 2025
- AI-Powered Compliance Monitoring
Organisations are embracing AI-powered solutions to systematically monitor data flows, identify policy breaches and auto-create compliance reports. The solutions assist in closing the loop between IT security teams and compliance officers.
- Cross-Border Data Transfer Mechanisms
With increasingly severe regulations, companies are spending more on secure cross-border data transfer frameworks like Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs).
- Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
Methods such as homomorphic encryption and differential privacy are picking up steam, enabling organisations to sift through datasets without revealing sensitive personal data.
- ESG and Data Ethics
Data handling is increasingly becoming a part of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting. Ethical utilisation of customer data, not just compliance, has become a reputational differentiator.
Challenges in Implementation
Despite having transparent frameworks, data protection plans encounter challenges like jurisdictions having competing needs, and global compliance is becoming expensive. The emerging technologies, such as generative AI, often bring privacy threats that haven’t been fully covered by legislation. Small and micro enterprises have neither the budget nor the skills to implement enterprise-level compliance programs. Qualifying these challenges often needs a risk-based strategy, allocations of resources to top areas of impact and automating the compliance chores wherever possible.
Best Practices for 2025 and Beyond
In 2025, regulatory compliance and data protection are no longer a precaution or a response to a breach but are strategic drivers of resilience and trust. As regulatory analysis rises, cyber threats evolve, and consumer expectations grow, administrations need to integrate compliance into the very fabric of their actions. By bringing governance and technology together, organisations can break free from a "checklist" mentality and instead adopt a proactive and risk-sensitive approach. Eventually, data protection is not just about not getting in trouble; it's about developing a kind that succeeds in the digital era.
References
- GDPR – Official EU Regulation Page: https://gdpr.eu
- India’s DPDP Act Overview – MeitY: https://www.meity.gov.in/data-protection-framework
- HIPAA – US Department of Health & Human Services: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa
- PCI DSS Standards: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org
- IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024: https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach
- OECD – Privacy Guidelines: https://www.oecd.org/sti/privacy-guidelines
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Executive Summary:
In the end of January 2024, India sees an inauguration of Ram Mandir that is a historical event to which people came culturally and spiritually. All communities in the world acknowledge this point of life as a victory and also understand how it unites people. In the midst of this genuine joy over success, there has been a disconcerting increase in malpractices designed to exploit people’s enthusiasm. This report aims at providing awareness and guidelines on how one can avoid the fraud activities that could be circulating as a celebration of Ram Mandir inauguration. An example cited here is on scams that give fake free recharge to users making them connect with the Prime Minister of India and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
False Claim:
According to the message passed in WhatsApp, as a commemoration of the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya in January 2024, free Rs.749 mobile recharge for three months would be offered to all Indians across India by both the PM and UP CM. The message prompts the recipients to click on the blue link provided and then recharge their numbers.
The Deceptive Scheme:
We have been informed of a circulating link (https://mahacashhback[.]in/#1705296887543) stating that it offers ₹719 recharge in honor of the Ram Mandir inauguration. It is worth mentioning that this link does not belong to any legitimate movement concerning the inauguration; public excitement and trust were used for personal gain.
Analyzing the Fraudulent Campaign:
- Exploiting Emotional Significance:Scammers are using the cultural and religious significance of Ram mandir inauguration as a cover to fool people into participating in its fraudulent scheme.
- Fake Recharge Offers:The broadcasted link is offering a recharge pretending that they celebrate it’s inauguration. Such offers should be handled with care and established through authorized avenues.
- Bogus Landing Pages and Comments:The landing page linked to the link typically shows images of Ram Mandir and fake comments succeeding in a make-believe appearance. Legitimate projects linked to major events rely on official and trustworthy communication mechanisms.
- Data Collection Attempts:However, users may be asked for personal details like mobile numbers under the false pretext of winning a fake recharge. Legitimate organizations practice secure protocols for data collection and communication.
- Sharing for Activation:After the data entry, users are prompted to share a link in other people’s posts; it is said that this will help “activate” recharge. This is a popular trick among swindlers to keep the fraud going on due to sending misleading messages.
What do we Analyze?
- It is important to note that at this particular point, there has not been any official declaration or a proper confirmation of such offers on any official channel.
- The campaign is hosted on a third party domain instead of any official Government Website, this raised suspicion. Also the domain has been registered in very recent times.
- Domain Name: mahacashhback[.]in
- Registry Domain ID: D1FCF1B5751244310A2FA723B62CE83E9-IN
- Registrar URL: https://publicdomainregistry[.]com/
- Registrar: Endurance Digital Domain Technology LLP
- Registrar IANA ID: 801217
- Updated Date: 2024-01-18T08:09:00Z
- Creation Date: 2023-05-27T12:01:17Z
- Registry Expiry Date: 2024-05-27T12:01:17Z
- Registrant Organization: Sachin Kumar
- Registrant State/Province: Bihar
- Name Server: ns2.suspended-domain[.]com
- Name Server: ns1.suspended-domain[.]com
CyberPeace Advisory and Best Practices:
- Verify Authenticity:Authenticate any offers or promotions linked to the Ram Mandir inauguration through official channels.
- Exercise Caution with Links:Do not engage with questionable URLs, in particular those without secure encryption (HTTPS). Official announcements and initiatives are disseminated through secure outlets.
- Protect Personal Information:Do not provide personal information and do not respond to unsolicited offers on nonofficial platforms. Genuine organizations employ safe and official routes for communication.
- Report Fraudulent Activity:When you see scams or fraudulent activities, immediately report them to authorities and platforms so that no one falls into their trap.
Conclusion:
In the coming days, let us be cautious from such cheating strategies which would be misutilized or create false situations. Individuals should stay informed, verify sources and defend their personal information to ensure a safer world wide web. Official and secure channels are used to communicate authentic initiatives linked with notable events. When an offer sounds too favorable or attractive, exercise due caution and check its genuineness to avoid being defrauded. Thus by undertaking the research we found this campaign to be fake.
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Executive Summary:
A video circulating on social media claims that people in Balochistan, Pakistan, hoisted the Indian national flag and declared independence from Pakistan. The claim has gone viral, sparking strong reactions and spreading misinformation about the geopolitical scenario in South Asia. Our research reveals that the video is misrepresented and actually shows a celebration in Surat, Gujarat, India.
Claim:
A viral video shows people hoisting the Indian flag and allegedly declaring independence from Pakistan in Balochistan. The claim implies that Baloch nationals are revolting against Pakistan and aligning with India.
Fact Check:
After researching the viral video, it became clear that the claim was misleading. We took key screenshots from the video and performed a reverse image search to trace its origin. This search led us to one of the social media posts from the past, which clearly shows the event taking place in Surat, Gujarat, not Balochistan.
In the original clip, a music band is performing in the middle of a crowd, with people holding Indian flags and enjoying the event. The environment, language on signboards, and festive atmosphere all confirm that this is an Indian Independence Day celebration. From a different angle, another photo we found further proves our claim.
However, some individuals with the intention of spreading false information shared this video out of context, claiming it showed people in Balochistan raising the Indian flag and declaring independence from Pakistan. The video was taken out of context and shared with a fake narrative, turning a local celebration into a political stunt. This is a classic example of misinformation designed to mislead and stir public emotions.
To add further clarity, The Indian Express published a report on May 15 titled ‘Slogans hailing Indian Army ring out in Surat as Tiranga Yatra held’. According to the article, “A highlight of the event was music bands of Saifee Scout Surat, which belongs to the Dawoodi Bohra community, seen leading the yatra from Bhagal crossroads.” This confirms that the video was from an event in Surat, completely unrelated to Balochistan, and was falsely portrayed by some to spread misleading claims online.
Conclusion:
The claim that people in Balochistan hoisted the Indian national flag and declared independence from Pakistan is false and misleading. The video used to support this narrative is actually from Surat, Gujarat, India, during “The Tiranga Yatra”. Social media users are urged to verify the authenticity and source of content before sharing, to avoid spreading misinformation that may escalate geopolitical tensions.
- Claim: Mass uprising in Balochistan as citizens reject Pakistan and honor India.
- Claimed On: Social Media
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
