Ratan Sharda is a Hindu nationalist thinker and an ideologue associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He often posts fake news against religious minorities to spread Hindutva propaganda. 

In December 2019, Sharda shared a video of policemen removing a Sikh man’s turban, claiming it showed a Muslim impersonating a Sikh to mislead people about the anti-CAA protests. He quote-tweeted the video, writing, “#OMG #Tequiah plumbs new depths! Call to #Khalistanis to embrace these Islamist fellows defaming Sikhs.” 

However, the video was actually from 2011, filmed in Mohali during a protest by rural veterinary pharmacists. The man in the video was a Sikh, not a Muslim. Despite the misleading claim, Sharda amplified the false narrative, fueling religious tensions.

In November 2019, Ratan Sharda spread fake news about JNU protests over a fee hike. He retweeted a viral claim that a 47-year-old man named Moinuddin had been a JNU student since 1989, mocking him for enjoying cheap housing and free benefits. However, Alt News verified that the man in the photo was Pankaj Mishra, a JNU student, not Moinuddin. Despite the false claim, Sharda amplified the misinformation, adding to the narrative against JNU protesters.

In November 2021, Ratan Sharda amplified false claims about Aravana Payasam, the traditional offering at Sabarimala Temple. Tamil Nadu-based right-wing party Indu Makkal Katchi shared an image of the prasad packaged in a jar labeled ‘Al Zahaa Sweets,’ alleging that a Muslim company had rebranded it as halal. Sharda tweeted the same image, fueling misinformation.

Aravana Payasam is officially listed on the Kerala government’s website as a temple offering, and there is no evidence to support the claim that it was taken over or rebranded by a Muslim company.

In May 2024, Ratan Sharda openly targeted Muslims in a communal tweet, declaring, “I will keep voting #BJP because it alone can control Jihad & Jihadis. All others provide them shelter. What use is progress if we can’t enjoy it fearlessly?” 

Ratan Sharda has also referred to Bangladesh as a “jihad land,” further fueling anti-Bangladesh sentiments among his followers. This inflammatory statement plays into his broader agenda of stoking fear and hatred, aligning with his consistent pattern of promoting divisive and xenophobic rhetoric.

In August 2023, Ratan Sharda shared fake news about Palestinians in Gaza, falsely claiming that Israeli soldiers had discovered bombs in tunnels near the Shifa Hospital. The actual context was related to an event in Ramallah. 

Sharda’s tweet, calling the hospital a “super speciality hospital run by terrorists Hamas,” was used to justify the bombing of Palestinian hospitals in Gaza, spreading misinformation and fueling further conflict.