An aerial view of a large complex is being shared on social media with the claim that it shows a 6,000-bed Covid care centre built by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Indore. The image has texts overlayed on it that says, “2nd largest COVID care center in India, RSS has built 6000 bed covid care centre and 4 oxygen plants in 45 acres of land in Indore.”
Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the image is actually of a football stadium in Qatar named Al Bayt. In Indore, a 6,000-bed capacity Covid centre was recently launched by the Madhya Pradesh government in the community satsang complex of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, named ‘Maa Ahilya Covid Care Centre’. Though the RSS hasn’t built this centre, its members are volunteering in it.
On doing a reverse image search, in a report by “Qatar Tribune”, the viral image was found. The report clearly mentions that the picture is of Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor city of Qatar. This stadium is the venue of 2022 FIFA World Cup, as per the latter’s official website. Recently, the Radha Soami Satsang Beas ashram located on Khandwa Road in Indore was converted into Madhya Pradesh’s largest Covid care centre. As per “All India Radio, this centre was started with 600 beds, but its capacity can be increased to 6,000.
A spokesperson of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, confirmed that there is no relation between them and RSS. He told, “Sometime back, one of our campuses in Delhi was converted into a Covid centre. After that, the Madhya Pradesh government approached us and told us that they are planning to start a Covid centre in Indore for patients who don’t require oxygen or hospitalisation primarily, for people who do not have home isolation facility. We gave them permission to use our community satsang complex.”
Therefore, it is clear that the viral picture is of Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar and not Maa Ahilya Covid Care Centre at Indore.
