Stadium in Qatar passed on as COVID centre in fake WhatsApp messages by RSS

With the second wave of COVID gripping India, the country is facing one of its more crisis ever. Beds at hospitals are overwhelmed, patients are dying waiting in queue and there is a scarcity of Oxygen in almost every part of the country. While spate of SOS calls could be seen all over social media, fake news is also doing the rounds.

In one of the latest share of fake news, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been circulating an image across WhatsApp and other social media platforms that they have been building the second-largest COVID-care facility in India with 6,000 beds for patients, and four oxygen plants in a sprawling area of 45 acres in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. What is even striking is that, the photo of the centre which they are promoting as the COVID-care facility is of the 2022 FIFA World Cup venue Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Doha, Qatar.

On searching for the details of the claim made in the post, it is found out that Madhya Pradesh Government has recently launched the state's largest COVID-19 care centre in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. This Covid care centre in Indore named 'Maa Ahilya COVID Care Centre'. Madhya Pradesh Government constructed this Covid care centre at Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) ground in Indore. In the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases, Indore district officials decided to build this Covid quarantine centre at RSSB. According to the 'NDTV' news report, this Covid care centre is facilitated with 600 beds in the initial phase and has plans to raise the capacity to 6000 beds. There are 47 concentrator machines provided in this facility.