Fact Check: Did PM Modi Lie About 30-35 Years of Diwali Celebrations with Jawans?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established a tradition of observing Deepawali alongside the Jawans on the frontlines of India, a custom that underscores his profound respect for their selfless service, exemplified by the sharing of Diwali sweets. This year’s commemoration followed suit, with PM Modi journeying to Lepcha, Himachal Pradesh, affirming a steadfast practice of spending each Diwali over the past 30-35 years in the company of these courageous soldiers.

While PM Modi’s altruistic dedication to the nation has disconcerted many of his political adversaries. The contrast is striking at a time when the majority of the opposition is engrossed in indulgent celebrations, savoring sweets and enjoying familial moments during Diwali. In contrast, PM Modi endeavors to bridge the familial void by immersing himself in the camaraderie of the Jawans. The recent disclosure by PM Modi, articulating his consistent observance of Diwali with Jawans over the past 30-35 years, has instilled heightened apprehension within the opposition, amplifying their disquiet to unprecedented levels.

Member of Parliament from TMC, Saket Gokhale tweeted, ‘Why does PM Modi lie so brazenly? Two days ago, on Diwali, PM Modi visited our jawans in Lepcha, HP, and said that “I have celebrated EVERY Diwali in the last 30-35 years with our jawans” 

But, in Jan 2019, PM Modi said in an interview that he “spent every Diwali by going to the jungle.”

Now which is true: Every Diwali since 30-35 years with Armed Forces jawans or every Diwali was spent in the jungle?’

Congress Member, Paul Koshy wrote on X , ‘Nobody understands the sufferings and challenges of a Liar. It is so easy to condemn them and ridicule. How do you expect a liar who told a lie on 23rd January 2019.’

Troll X handle,  Nimo Tai wrote, ‘Jhooth Bolo, Baar Baar Jhooth Bolo.’

Communist and Actor Prakash Raj wrote, ‘Dear LieLama . Is it difficult to remember when you Lie’

Commie Youtuber Akash Banerjee while taking a dig at PM Modi wrote, ‘Shame on PTI News for spreading fake news about Modi Ji & ThePrintIndia should IMMEDIATELY DELETE this seditious article that casts aspersions on the honestly of the PM & his claims about spending EVERY Diwali with our Jawans for the last 30-35 years.’

Along With these many other X handles tweeted with similar claims alleging that PM Modi lied about spending more than three decades of Diwali with Jawans. Archive links of Narundar, Cow Momma, General Narbhakshi, and Sandeep Bisht.

The opposition bloc has initiated a focused campaign resembling a toolkit-style attack on the Prime Minister, circulating a headline screenshot from an article in The Print. In this fact-checking endeavor, we aim to ascertain the veracity of both Prime Minister Modi’s statement and the claims put forth by the opposition bloc. Let’s find out.

Also Read: INC spokesperson Rohan Gupta lies about empty chairs at PM Modi’s MP rally event

Fact Check

Our fact-checking initiative commenced by tracing the origin of the controversy, pinpointing the article from The Print as the primary source. After meticulous examination, it became apparent that Prime Minister Modi was referencing his early years, specifically a practice of spending five days in the forest during Diwali. The revelation was made in an interview with Humans of Bombay.

Subsequently, our investigation extended to the Humans of Bombay interview, which was disseminated on their Facebook page on the 22nd of January.

Here, I share the excerpt from the interview, “ Eventually, I became a full time Pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. There, I got the opportunity to interact with people from different walks of life and do a wide range of work. We all took turns cleaning the RSS office, prepare tea and food for colleagues and clean utensils. 

Life was rigorous and busy. But amidst all of my duties, I was determined to not let go of my learnings from the Himalayas. To ensure that this new phase of life didn’t take over the sense of peace that I achieved there, I decided to take out some time every year and introspect. It was my way of maintaining a balanced life.

Not many people know this, but I would go away for the 5 days of Diwali.”

Somewhere in a jungle – a place with only clean water and no people. I would pack enough food to last for those 5 days. There would be no radio’s or newspapers, and during that time, there was no TV or internet anyway. I would reflect – and the strength that this alone time gave me still helps me to handle life and its various experiences. People often asked me, ‘Who are you going to meet?’ And I would say, ‘मैं मुझसे मिलने जा रहा हूं।”

Upon a thorough examination of the interview, it becomes evident that Prime Minister Modi is recounting the period when he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a pracharak, expressing his overwhelming sense of duty. Amidst these responsibilities, he disclosed a practice of spending Diwali in seclusion within the Himalayan forests.

According to information sourced from the official PM India website, Prime Minister Modi assumed the role of an RSS pracharak in 1972. A straightforward calculation reveals a temporal gap exceeding 50 years between 1972 and the present year, 2023. During the recent Diwali celebration in Lepcha, Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi stated that he has been spending Diwali with Jawans for the last 30-35 years, which is approximately since 1988. As per the PM India website, in 1987, a pivotal shift occurred in his life when he took on the role of General Secretary for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat, more than 15 years after his initiation as an RSS pracharak. Subsequently, he commenced the tradition of celebrating Diwali with soldiers.

The opposition’s dissemination of information suggesting a contradiction in the Prime Minister’s Diwali celebrations is, therefore, misleading. The events described, one in the early 1970s during his RSS pracharak years and the other in the late 1980s after assuming the role of BJP General Secretary, unfolded in distinct time frames.

The individuals asserting this claim, ranging from Twitter trolls to opposition leaders and YouTubers, appear to be so entrenched in their animosity towards Prime Minister Modi that they have failed to engage in basic arithmetic and logical reasoning. This lack of analytical diligence has prevented them from recognizing a fundamental truth: the stories of PM Modi’s experiences unfolded in distinct and non-overlapping time frames. The palpable desperation to garner attention on social media seems to be overshadowing whatever semblance of coherent and rational thinking might remain within their discourse.

Also Read: Did PM Modi state that BJP is using Hindutva as a deck of cards?