This week, India is gearing up to host the G-20 summit in the vibrant city of New Delhi, and the preparations have been nothing short of grandiose. Prime Minister Modi has ensured that the event will be marked by a lavish display of hospitality, and the capital city is abuzz with anticipation as the festival approaches. However, amidst the widespread jubilation, there exists a dissonant note struck by the opposition and its associates. In this context, “associates” refers to individuals who, despite claiming neutrality, are perceived to align with the Congress Party or other opposition factions. These associates have been actively propagating various narratives aimed at undermining both the significance of India hosting the G-20 summit and the nation itself.
Some of the narratives being disseminated include assertions that India is economically ill-equipped to host an event of such global stature, that the G-20 hosting is merely part of a routine rotation, devoid of any special significance, and that foreign dignitaries will indulge in opulence while the impoverished citizens of India remain dependent on government provisions. When these narratives failed to sway the patriotic sentiments of the Indian populace, a new tactic emerged: an attempt to sow discord between Prime Minister Modi and other world leaders through the propagation of questionable strategies and insinuations.
Pradeep Rai, a prominent advocate and Chairman of the Legal Aid Centre, recently posted a poster (flex) comparing the popularity ratings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with those of other global leaders. Mr Rai expressed concern that sharing such a poster during a period when world leaders are gathered could potentially be perceived as disrespectful to the visiting dignitaries. He suggested that this might not align with the spirit of extending a warm welcome to our international guests.
Here is a tweet by Mr Pradeep Rai. Well, it appears that Mr. Rai quietly deleted his tweet.
While it remains a plausible notion that the tweet by Mr Rai was in good faith, the vultures who are wearing the skin of journalists took the matter to another level by amplifying it.
Rohini Singh, purporting to be a journalist tweeted in the same spirit. However, she later deleted it.
Another journalist Ashish Singh, mainly covering the Congress party also tweeted.
Senior Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram also tweeted the same hoarding lecturing India and PM Modi about India’s centuries-old tradition of welcoming guests. However, he also deleted his tweet.
Journalist Prashant Tandon tweeted, “ When a megalomaniac welcomes his guests.”
A Samjawadi Party loyalist, Surya Pratap Singh tweeted, “This poster is not welcome, it is an insult. The host shows himself up, the guests down, What kind of guest is Devo Bhava?”
The overarching question that looms before us pertains to whether the display of a banner showcasing Prime Minister Modi’s popularity compared to other world leaders during the G-20 weekend is a genuine move by PM Modi and the BJP. Alternatively, it raises suspicions of a potentially covert agenda driven by individuals associated with opposition parties, with the intent to undermine India’s image and the leadership of PM Modi. In our pursuit of clarity, let us delve deeper into this matter.
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Fact Check
By conducting a straightforward reverse image search, we have unearthed that the image shared by individuals claiming to be journalists was, in fact, captured by the accomplished Associated Press photographer Manish Swarup. This particular photograph also served as the featured image within an article published by The Christian Science Monitor, authored by Ned Temko. The article was published on April 6, 2023.
Hence, it is evident that the posters circulated by journalists, seemingly driven by motives to tarnish India’s global standing, are deceptive in nature. As the realization dawns, numerous individuals have begun to retract their posts. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the initial dissemination of these misleading posters was not without a calculated purpose: to garner attention from select segments of the global media, potentially fueling narratives detrimental to India’s geopolitical interests.
| Claim | BJP and PM Modi put up hoarding displaying the fact that he is more popular than any other his G-20 counterpart. |
| Claimed by | Pradeep Rai, Rohini Singh, Ashish Singh, Prashant Tandon and Surya Pratap Singh |
| Fact Check | Misleading |
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