Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Led by Rahul Gandhi, Congress’ grand Bharat Jodo Yatra, where the Congress leader hopes to cover the distance from Kerala to Kashmir on foot, has attracted a lot of attention on digital platforms. In this backdrop, an image featuring a Times Now report, which shows Rahul Gandhi having a massive edge over other politicians in ‘sentiment comparison’, is being widely shared online. Newschecker found the image to be digitally altered.
Twitter user @DccNarayanpet shared the viral image with the caption, “Figures shows that People of Nation wants Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister. People trusts and loves Rahul Gandhi (sic)”
Several other Twitter users shared the viral graphic showing Gandhi ahead of various national leaders.
Archived links to such tweets can be found here, here, here and here.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Refused To Do Aarti? No, Old Video Viral With False Claim
Fact Check/Verification
A Google reverse image search on the viral graphic led us to a report by the Times of India, dated December 19, 2017, titled ‘Rahul Gandhi’s temple run brought seat blessing to Rahul’. The report featured a video and elaborated that Rahul Gandhi’s visit to temples in Gujarat “proved to be a blessing for his party, which has taken its tally of 61 seats from the previous assembly polls to 77.”
On comparing one of the keyframes of the video with the viral image, we found several identical elements.
To begin with, the captions at the top and right side of the frame were exactly the same as seen in the viral image. Secondly, the percentages and colours of bar graphs were identical. Additionally, the attire and hand gestures of the anchor are identical in both the visuals. A comparison of the same can be seen below.
Furthermore, on a closer look at the viral image we could spot ‘VIJAY’ written under Akhilesh Yadav’s image. We could thus conclude that a keyframe from a 2017 video making a ‘sentiment comparison of key individuals’ involved in Gujarat Assembly Election has been digitally altered to add national level politicians, in an attempt to give an impression that Rahul Gandhi is ahead of several high-profile political leaders amid Bharat Jodo Yatra.
What Is The Video About?
The show was telecast on Times Now, the sister concern of TOI, and focused on the 2017 Gujarat Assembly Election results. Notably, the Congress managed to win more seats in the state as compared to the previous polls. In the video, journalist Anand Narasimhan can be seen discussing the social media popularity of prominent faces in the Gujarat elections – Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi, Hardik Patel, Vijay Rupani and Jignesh Mevani. The graphic actually shows a Twitter ‘sentiment comparison’ of these leaders, indicating how the Twitterattis feel about them. Explaining the graphic, Narasimhan can be heard saying “…largely positive around Rahul Gandhi is the overall talk..”
Though Rahul Gandhi did garner the highest percentage of ‘positive sentiment’ on Twitter, the viral image misleads into believing that the comparison was among him and national level leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal. However, in reality it was centred around the key individuals in 2017 Gujarat Elections.
Conclusion
A graphic showing Twitter ‘sentiment comparison’ among key individuals involved in 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections has been morphed, in an attempt to show Rahul Gandhi as the most preferred national leader. Apart from Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, pictures of all other politicians in the viral graphics have been morphed.
Result: Altered Photo
Sources
Report By Times of India, Dated December 19, 2017
Self Analysis
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
