A few images showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders paying tribute to Tipu Sultan are circulated on social media (here, here, and here). Let’s verify the claim made in these posts.
Claim: Images show PM Modi and other leaders paying tribute to Tipu Sultan.
Fact: These images are edited. There are no instances of Narendra Modi or other leaders depicted in these posts paying tribute to Tipu Sultan. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A reverse image search of the viral image showing PM Modi paying tribute to Tipu Sultan led us to an image shared by Modi on his official ‘X’ platform on 14 April 2022. The caption of this image stated, “Today, on Ambedkar Jayanti, paid tributes to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in Delhi.” Further search led us to news reports that reported (here and here) this event and included the original image.
Another reverse image search traced this image to an article published by the Kathmandu Post on 8 January 2018, showing Yogi Adityanath presenting the Kumbh logo to former Nepal king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah at a government residence in Lucknow. Adityanath also posted this picture on his social media.
The reverse image search of another image in the viral post led us to a Facebook post shared on Modi’s official page on 23 January 2023, where Modi is seen paying tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The caption read, “Paid tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the Parliament House.” PIB also covered this event.
A reverse image search of the image showing Yogi Adityanath paying tribute to Tipu Sultan with former President Ram Nath Kovind standing behind him led us to a post shared on Adityanath’s official Facebook page on 29 June 2021. The post indicated that the image was taken during the foundation stone ceremony for the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Centre in Lucknow. This event has been covered by media outlets (here and here).
Another reverse image search of an image showing PM Modi bowing his head in front of Tipu Sultan’s photo led us to a Getty Images photo showing Modi paying respects to B.R. Ambedkar. The title mentions, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying homage to Ambedkar before laying the foundation stone of the Ambedkar National Memorial at Vigyan Bhavan on 21 March 2016, in New Delhi, India.” More images related to this event can be seen here.
An image showing Kiran Bedi and PM Modi standing in front of Tipu Sultan’s portrait with their hands together, when reverse searched, led to an image published by the PIB where the portrait shows a painting of a tree instead of Tipu Sultan. Further search led to a Hindu article that published a similar image, stating that Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi met Modi on 1 June 2019, to apprise the Home Minister of the issues faced in the UT.
To sum up, edited images of Narendra Modi and other leaders are being circulated, falsely depicting them paying tribute to Tipu Sultan.
