By: Soham Shah
January 10 2024
Does this photo show PM Narendra Modi with Indira Gandhi? No, it is edited
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The real photo along with the fake photo shared on social media. (Source:The Quint courtesy Sangeetha Music, X/Modified by Logically Facts)
Fact-Check
The Verdict Fake
An old photo of former prime minister Indira Gandhi has been edited to include the current prime minister, Narendra Modi, in the background.
Claim ID b1b6dee1
What is the claim?
A video that highlights a black and white photo of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi standing with a crowd is being widely shared on X (formerly Twitter). In the background, the photo points towards a man who appears to be a younger version of current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the same frame, the text “Narendra Modi💀” flashes on the screen. The viral video was shared with the caption, "Congress mob." An archived version of this post can be accessed here.
Screenshot of viral post claiming to show Narendra Modi with Indira Gandhi (Source:X)
However, Logicaly Facts found that this photo is edited and the original photo does not show PM Modi.
The original photo
Through a reverse image search, we found an unedited version of the photo that appears in a report by The Quint titled, “Karnataka’s Reluctant Politician: The Life and Times of Annavaru.” The report describes the life of Kannada star Dr Rajkumar.
The article carries the photo with the caption, “Dr Rajkumar seen in the photo with former prime minister Indira Gandhi, at a Sangeetha Music event (Photo Courtesy: Sangeetha Music)."
In the original photo, it is clear that the person standing behind Gandhi is not PM Modi. In the viral X post, PM Modi’s face has been edited onto the photo, and the color grading of the original photo has also been altered.
Comparison of the original and the image in the viral video. (Source: The Quint courtesy Sangeetha Music, X)
We also found an archive link to Sangeetha Music’s website (now non-functional) where the original photo is visible. A 2018 report by the Times of India states that Times Music had acquired the rights to the music cards of Sangeetha Music.
The verdict
An old photo of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has been edited to include current PM Narendra Modi in the background. We have marked this claim as false.