On 23rd September, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted a picture saying Nehru visit the United States in 1954, and a huge crowd had gathered to greet the first Prime Minister of India. The tweet was intended to downplay the success of ‘Howdy, Modi!’ event and show the greatness of Nehru.
The tweet has an image attached to it, in which Nehru and Indira Gandhi are seen in a road rally with huge crowd surrounding them. “Nehru & India Gandhi in the US in 1954. Look at the hugely enthusiastic spontaneous turnout of the American public, without any special PR campaign, NRI crowd management or hyped-up media publicity,” tweeted Tharoor.
Nehru & India Gandhi in the US in 1954. Look at the hugely enthusiastic spontaneous turnout of the American public, without any special PR campaign, NRI crowd management or hyped-up media publicity. pic.twitter.com/aLovXvCyRz
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 23, 2019
But later many Twitter users including some prominent right-wing Twitter handles pointed out that the image is from Nehru’s ‘Moscow’ visit in 1956. Tharoor accepted the mistake but continued to downplay the success of ‘Howdy, Modi!’ and sang the laurels for the former prime ministers.
“I am told this picture (forwarded to me) probably is from a visit to the USSR and not the US. Even if so, it still doesn’t alter the message: the fact is that former PMs also enjoyed popularity abroad. When @narendramodi is honoured, @PMOIndia is honoured; respect is for India.,” tweeted Tharoor.
I am told this picture (forwarded to me) probably is from a visit to the USSR and not the US. Even if so, it still doesn't alter the message: the fact is that former PMs also enjoyed popularity abroad. When @narendramodi is honoured, @PMOIndia is honoured; respect is for India. https://t.co/9KQMcR0zTD
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 23, 2019
But a new fact has been revealed about the picture by popular Twitter handle named True Indology. “Wrong. Neither Moscow nor 1956. It was from Magnitogorsk (June 1955). Nehru visited Russia in 1955, NOT 1956.”, tweeted the handle with a screenshot of Kanchan Gupta’s tweet who claimed that the picture is of Nehru’s Moscow visit.
Wrong. Neither Moscow nor 1956.
It was from Magnitogorsk (June 1955). Nehru visited Russia in 1955, NOT 1956.https://t.co/Z0jALk4Rl6 pic.twitter.com/2zlLqyZYuk
— True Indology (@TIinExile) September 24, 2019
Magnitogorsk is an industrial city in Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia, almost 1,700 km from Moscow, the largest city of Russia.
The repeated misinformation spread about the post by Tharoor tell us about the demerits of social media. First Tharoor gave the users wrong information about the picture and then critics also gave wrong information about the Tweet.
In fact, many fact checking organizations published articles about Shashi Tharoor spreading fake news to sing the laurels of first Prime Minister and claimed that the picture is from former PM’s Moscow visit.
Now if the claim made by True Indology is true, then both Shashi Tharoor and his critics fall prey to the demerits of social media. Therefore it is important for the users to cross verify any claims made on social media, because there is no door keeping to the information spread on social media.
