Footage shows pilgrimage and race crowd, not rally against Indian court’s Aravalli hills ruling

Demonstrations erupted across India over a decision by the country’s top court that environmentalists warn could open a fragile mountain ecosystem up to mining, but clips shared on social media that purportedly show the widespread protests predate the Supreme Court’s ruling by several months. The clips in fact show a religious pilgrimage and crowds watching a bullock cart race.

“A wave of protests is sweeping North India after a Supreme Court ruling defined Aravalli hills as only those over 100 meters, potentially leaving 90% of the range vulnerable to mining,” reads part of an Instagram post shared on December 20, 2025.

“Environmentalists and citizens argue this is a ‘death warrant’ for the ancient ecological barrier that stops desertification and cleans Delhi’s air.”

The video comprises two clips of large crowds, with overlaid text that reads: “A big amount of farmers in Rajasthan start a Aravalli hills protest.”

The video spread in similar Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X posts after protests erupted over a Supreme Court decision that narrowed the definition of the ecologically sensitive Aravalli hills — one of India’s oldest mountain ranges, which stretches across the states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat, and the capital Delhi (archived link).

The new definition excludes areas under 100 metres (328 feet) in altitude, which will no longer be protected by mining restrictions (archived link).

While environmentalists have warned this could leave many ecologically vital hills vulnerable to mining and construction, the government says the move standardises regulations and strengthens protections (archived here and here).

The Supreme Court stayed its own order on December 29, forming an expert panel to investigate the potential repercussions of the new definition (archived link).

The video circulating on social media, however, predates the top court’s original decision and does not show demonstrators opposed to the change.

A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the first falsely shared clip led to the same footage in an Instagram post published on August 2 (archived link). It was posted by a Maharashtra-based news portal.

It also posted the footage as part of a longer video on its YouTube channel on July 31 (archived link).

The Marathi-language caption of the Instagram video reads, “Gajanan Maharaj’s palanquin left Khamgaon city towards Shegaon.”

The palanquin of Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj is an annual spiritual event that sees pilgrims walk 1,275 km (782 miles) over a two-month period  (archived link).

AFP previously debunked posts misrepresenting the second clip in the falsely shared video.

A reverse image search on Google using keyframes from the clip led to an Instagram video shared on June 28 (archived link).

Its Marathi-language caption says the crowds were watching a prize-winning bull in the race.

AFP has debunked similar false claims mischaracterising footage of crowds as protests against the Supreme Court decision.