Photo Misrepresented as PM Modi Ignoring Greetings from President, Vice President, and Lok Sabha Speaker - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 11, 2023
An image of President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, with their hands folded, during an event, is being widely shared on social media claiming that they greeted Prime Minister Modi with a namaste, but he disregarded them. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: PM Narendra Modi disregarded the greetings from President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at an event.
Fact: The incident in question occurred on 06 December 2023, when PM Modi and other leaders gathered at the New Parliament House in New Delhi to pay tribute on the death anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The full video reveals that the President, Vice President, and Lok Sabha Speaker were posing for a media photo. PM Modi was the first to exit, offering a ‘namaste’ gesture to the media personnel, followed by the other leaders. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
A reverse image search of the viral image led us to the full video, live-streamed on 06 December 2023, on PM Narendra Modi’s official YouTube channel. The footage shows PM Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and other leaders paying tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the New Parliament House in New Delhi on his death anniversary. Before leaving the event, PM Modi and the other leaders posed for a photo in front of the media. PM Modi was the first to offer the ‘namaste’ gesture (below image), followed by the other leaders.
The viral photo captures the moment PM Modi begins to walk away, which has been shared with a misleading claim. The frame (below image) is being shared out of context, falsely suggesting that Modi refused to greet the three leaders as they stood with their hands folded towards him. However, the complete video reveals that President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla greeted the media before departing from the location.
Furthermore, PM Narendra Modi can be seen waiting for other leaders and greeting them before the start of the event.
To sum it up, a misleading photo is being circulated with the false implication that the Prime Minister is ignoring the greetings of other leaders.