Photo credit- Business Today
As the 2019 general election ends today, Fact Crescendo has compiled a list of the most prominent instances of misinformation this election season. The pedlars of misinformation, who resorted to social media to sway the electorate ahead of voting, used every trick possibly available in the digital era misleading the readers.
This article comprises of fake newspaper clips and TV news bulletin screenshots–
1) False newspaper clipping claims that PM ModiтАЩs family blames him for his fatherтАЩs death
Claim– A clipping of a newspaper is circulating on social media this election season. It talks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged incidents from his childhood. тАЬрдореЛрджреА рдХреЗ рднрд╛рдИ рдмрд╣рди рдирд░реЗрдВрджреНрд░ рдореЛрджреА рдХреЛ рд╣реА рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдкрд┐рддрд╛рдЬреА рдХреЗ рдореМрдд рдХрд╛ рдЬрд┐рдореНрдореЗрджрд╛рд░ рдорд╛рдирддреЗ рд╣реИ (ModiтАЩs brothers and sister blame Narendra Modi for their fatherтАЩs death),тАЭ the clipping is headlined.
It says that PM ModiтАЩs father, Damodardas Mulchand Modi, used to make ends meet by pickpocketing and stealing coal and iron from the railway station where he worked as a tea seller. He traded the stolen items for gold, which, in turn, it was stolen by Narendra Modi when he was a young boy. His father, unable to cope with his sonтАЩs actions, suffered a cardiac arrest and died. The family could not get back the stolen gold despite lodging an FIR The story ends by claiming that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee suppressed the case and the FIR against Narendra Modi in 1996.
Fact Check– We found that no newspaper has ever printed such news. The language used in the paper gives the essence that the claim is fake. Moreover, we found that this news clipтАЩs write up is copied from a 2 years old Facebook post. This a digitally created image.
2) Fake News bulletin claims that Smriti Irani said тАЬIf PM Modi loses then I will commit suicideтАЭ.
Claim– A screengrab of ABP News, attributing a quote to Union Minister Smriti Irani is circulating widely on social media. It claims that Smriti Irani said, тАЬIf PM Modi loses then I will commit suicide.тАЭ The viral post attempted to add credibility to the claim by providing a corresponding screenshot of a news report allegedly telecasted by the said channel.
Fact Check– We found that the screengrab is fake. The alleged channel has not broadcasted any such bulletin. The remotest reference to such a statement made by Irani states, тАЬThe day тАШpradhan sevakтАЩ Narendra Modi ji decides to retire, I will also leave Indian politicsтАЭ.
3) Fake News Bulletin claims that Yogi Adityanath said, тАЬI will burn down the country if BJP does not come to power.тАЭ
Claim– A screengrab of Mantavya News, attributing a quote to Uttar Pradesh CM, Yogi Adityanath is circulating widely on social media. It claims that Yogi said, тАЬI will burn down the country if BJP does not come to power.тАЭ The viral post attempted to add credibility to the claim by providing a corresponding screenshot of a news report allegedly telecasted by the said channel.
Fact Check– We found that the alleged screengrab of Mantavya News is a morphed image, which attributes an outrageous statement to the UP CM.
4) Morphed image of a newspaper with fake quoting Mamata Banerjee.
Claim– A newspaper cut out allegedly from a popular Bengali daily ржмрж░рзНрждржорж╛ржи (Bartaman) was shared on social media with its headline reading, тАЬMamata say- Give me 42 seats and I will show you how to make the Hindus cry.тАЭ
Fact Check– We observed that the font, size and colour of the words тАЬрж╣рж┐ржирзНржжрзБ (Hindu)тАЭ and тАЬржХрж╛ржБржжрж╛ рждрзЗ (cry)тАЭ do not match the words in the rest of the sentence. They are not in proper alignment, are larger than the other words and are in a deeper shade of black. Moreover, replacing some words from the original image. In the original image Mamata Banerjee said- Give me 42 seats I will show you how to shake up Delhi.тАЭ
5) Fake News Bulletin claims that Shashi Tharoor said, тАЬI will throw shoes at a Shivling if that is what it takes to remove PM Modi from his seat.тАЭ
Claim- A news clip circulating on social media with a claim that Shashi Tharoor said that he will throw shoes at a Shivling if that is what it takes to remove PM Modi from his seat.
Fact Check– We found that it is a morphed news clip. Originally, the news clip does not have the narrative written along with this news.
6) Morphed Newspaper clip claims Amit Shah said, тАЬRam Mandir shall never get established.тАЭ and Narendra Modi said тАЬTo win the trust of Hindu it was necessary to kill the Muslim farmers.тАЭ
Claim– A newspaper clip was circulating on social media with two claims attributing a quote to BJP President Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi. It mentioned that Amit shah said, тАЬRam Mandir shall never get established.тАЭ Below this statement another quote has been mentioned which says Narendra Modi said, тАЬTow in the trust of Hindu it was necessary to kill the Muslim farmers.тАЭ
Fact Check– We found that it is a morphed newspaper clip. Originally the statement тАЬRam Mandir shall never get establishedтАЭ was said by Akhilesh Yadav. Mulayam Singh Yadav originally said the quote attributed to Narendra Modi. He said, тАЬTo gain the truth on Muslims, it was necessary to shot the Hindus.тАЭ
7) Morphed Newspaper clip claims Modi government has stealthily sent 200 ton gold to foreign country.
Claim- A newspaper clip was circulating on social media with a claim attributing a quote by BJP President Amit Shah. It mentioned that Amit shah said, тАЬTheft and profiteering is the habit of the tradesmen in this countryтАЭ.
Fact Check– We found that it is a morphed newspaper clip. Originally, Amit Shah never said any such statement in any rallies as claimed.
7) Morphed Newspaper clip claims Amit Shah said, тАЬTheft and profiteering is the habit of the tradesmen (Baniya) in this countryтАЭ
Claim- A newspaper clip was circulating on social media with a claim attributing Modi government. It mentioned that RBIтАЩs 200 tonnes of gold sent stealthily to a foreign country by the Modi Government.
Fact Check- We found that it is a morphed newspaper clip. Originally, the saved 200 tonnes gold is in the foreign bank since 2009.
9) Amit Shah making a statement of returning the black money in 100 days.
Claim- A news clip was circulating on social media with a claim attributing a quote by Amit Shah. It mentions about Amit Shah claiming that if their government come in power, they will get back all the black money in 100 days.
Fact Check– We found that it is a morphed news clip. Originally, Amit Shah did not say any such statement. The post used the image from a released manifesto of BJP which said that BJP promises to build Ram Mandir.
10) Attempt to attack the Daund (Pune) MLA Rahul Kul
Claim- A news clip was circulating on social media with a claim that there was an attempt to attack the Daund MLA Rahul Kul.
Fact Check– We found that it is a 7 months old news clip. Originally, this is an old story is spreading the wrong context on the backdrop of Lok Sabha elections and out of context is now being spread as a false correlation.
