Update (16 February 2024):
The individual with the Instagram handle cengizler_tarim_55 who originally posted the video, responded to our inquiry and specified that he filmed the video in Turkey’s Samsun province. This unequivocally confirms that the video has no connection to the current farmer’s protest.
Published (14 February 2024):
Amid the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi, a viral video depicting a tractor equipped with a metal grill shield is being shared, suggesting a connection to the protest. The video implies that farmers are using such modified tractors to advance towards Delhi and overcome police barricades. In this article, let’s fact-check the associated claim.
Claim: Video showing modified tractors being utilized by protesting farmers to advance towards Delhi.
Fact: The video was disseminated via social media accounts based in Turkey long before the commencement of the current farmers’ protest in Delhi. Additionally, the signages visible in the video indicate that it is likely from Turkey. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
After a year-long protest on the outskirts of Delhi against the three farm laws introduced by the central government, farmers have resumed their agitation in Delhi to press for their demands. In the context of these protests, there are reports that farmers might employ modified tractors to confront police barricades, tear gas shells, and other measures used to halt the protests.
The present viral video is being shared in light of these reports. However, it is unrelated to the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi. Firstly, upon examining the viral video, one can observe the inscription “HATTAT 260” on the tractor. Further investigation via keyword search on the internet revealed that there is a Turkey-based tractor manufacturing company named “HATTAT.” Additionally, “HATTAT 260” is one of the tractor models produced by this company.
Moreover, conducting a reverse image search of screenshots from the viral video led to several social media posts originating from Turkey that shared the same video (here & here). One such post, dated 31 January 2024, included a caption in Turkish loosely translated as ‘Original video and owner’.
This indicates that the video is unrelated to the ongoing farmers’ protest, considering that the protest commenced on 13 February 2024, after the unsuccessful discussions between the farmers and the government held from 8 February to 12 February 2024.
Additionally, in the video posted on the aforementioned social media account, a yellow board displaying the words “Celik Aku” is visible behind the tractor. Investigating further, an internet search unveiled the existence of a Turkey-based battery manufacturing company named “Celik Aku.”
Therefore, all these strongly suggest that the video is likely from Turkey and unrelated to the farmers’ protest in Delhi. For further clarification, we have contacted the relevant social media accounts in Turkey, and this article will be updated accordingly upon their response.
To sum it up, a video depicting a modified tractor from Turkey is falsely shared as being from the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi.
