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.
Claim
Street graffiti, station marker and graffiti with anti-Modi slogans over PM’s visit to Tamil Nadu.
Fact
The massive flex board saying ‘No Entry’ for PM Modi is a 2019 hoarding from Andhra Pradesh. The street graffiti that carries anti-Modi slogans was put up in West Bengal against the Prime Minister’s 2020 tour to the state amid anti-CAA protests. The image of a location marker in a railway station and the photograph of street graffiti reading “Vanakkam Modi” have been digitally edited with anti-Modi slogans.
On April 8, 2023, as the Prime Minister arrived in Chennai to inaugurate numerous infrastructure projects, the hashtag #GoBackModi started trending on Twitter. Several social media users shared images, videos, and graphics that purportedly depicted the Prime Minister’s ‘unwelcome’ reception by the people of Chennai. However, Newschecker’s investigation revealed that at least four of these visuals were inaccurate.
Why Was The PM In Tamil Nadu?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chennai on Saturday to inaugurate multiple infrastructure projects worth more than ₹5,200 crore. He inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building of Chennai Airport, and flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express at MGR Chennai Central Railway Station. PM Modi also visited the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) on Sunday and interacted with Bomman and Bellie, the tribal couple who were featured in the Oscar-winning documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’.
Claim 1: No Entry To Modi In Tamil Nadu?
A photograph of a billboard erected in the middle of the road, featuring an image of PM Modi with the text “Modi No Entry,” & “Stop” was widely shared online during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Chennai. Some users shared an altered version of the photograph with the text “Tamil Nadu” written on the top of the hoarding.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
A keyword search for “Modi,” “No Entry” & “Hoarding” on Google led us to a report by The News Minute, dated February 9, 2019. Displaying the viral photograph, the report elaborated, “PM Narendra Modi is all set to visit Guntur on Sunday for the first time after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) severed ties with the BJP a year ago. And exactly a day earlier, huge billboards have been erected in places around Guntur and Vijayawada, signalling the PM’s visit. “
A News18 Telugu report, dated February 9, 2019, also featured the viral photograph stating that “’Modi no entry’.. hoardings were erected in Vijayawada ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
Multiple other news outlets reported on the anti-PM Modi billboards and hoardings that were set up in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to the state in February, 2019. Such reports can be seen here, here and here.
Hence, we have found that the viral photograph featuring a billboard demanding “no entry” to PM Modi was actually erected in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the PM’s visit in February 2019, and is being falsely linked to the resistance against PM Modi’s recent visit to Tamil Nadu.
Result: False
Claim 2: Tamil Nadu Says “We Hate You” Modi?
Another photograph, purportedly of a railway sign board, which reads “Tamil Nadu Says, Go Back Modi We Hate You,” is also being linked to PM Modi’s recent visit to the state, and is being shared online with the “#GoBackModi” trend. Several Twitter and Facebook users shared the picture amid the Prime Minister’s visit to the southern state.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
A Google reverse image search on the viral picture yielded an article by BuzzFeed, dated March 15, 2016, titled ‘25 Breathtaking Photos From India’s Longest Train Ride.’ The article featured a series of photos from photographer Ed Hanley’s 85-hour train journey from Dibrugarh in Assam, to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
The photo essay featured an image of a railway board similar to the one seen in the viral photograph. On comparing the two photographs, we could conclude that the viral image of the railway board saying, “Tamil Nadu Says Go Back Modi We Hate You” has been digitally altered. The board in the actual picture reads, “Kanyakumari.”
Notably, Hanley had uploaded the actual picture on PetaPixel website with the caption “End of the line.”
We could thus conclude that the viral photograph of the Railway Station board with the text “Go Back Modi” has been digitally altered. The authentic picture states the name of the station.
Result: Altered Photo
Claim 3: “Go Back Modi” Or “Vanakkam Modi”?
An image of a street graffiti reading “Go Back Modi” is going viral on social media platforms with users claiming that it shows how the Tamils opposed the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Chennai.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
Several other social media accounts shared a different version of the viral photograph where the street graffiti read, “Vanakkam Modi” adding, “Modi Mania Is All Set To Take Marina Beach (in Chennai) By Storm…”
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
Newschecker attempted to verify if both images were authentic and linked to the recent visit of the Prime Minister to the southern state.
Fact Check/Verification
A Yandex reverse image search on the photograph showing “Go Back Modi” graffiti threw up a tweet by @Madhurima_ML, dated January 11, 2020, carrying a set of four images, including the viral picture.
The post was captioned, “Esplanade now. Students painting on the road. Loud and clear message from Kolkata. #GoBackModiFromBengal…”
Notably, the tweet carried a clearer version of the viral photograph, and we could spot “Metro Channel Control Post ..Are Street Police Station,” written on a building in the back.
On looking up Google Maps, we found one “Hare Street” in Kolkata close to the location specified in the tweet. It is likely that the “H” of “Hare Street” was covered by a pole in the photograph.
Taking a clue, we looked up “Hare street police station,” “metro post” & “kolkata “ on Google. A comparison between the Google images of Hare Street Police Station Out Post, Kolkata and the viral photograph, led us to conclude that the picture is indeed from Kolkata.
A keyword search for “Go Back Modi, “Kolkata,” & “2020” yielded a report from the same year by Times Of India, with the same graffiti on the street. The report stated, “The epicentre of protest against CAA and NRC shifted from Esplanade to Park Circus on Sunday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took an aerial route over the city and flew out of the Kolkata airport around 12.30pm, on Sunday. However, even though the protesters were gone, they left behind a number of messages painted with permanent street paint and white cement on the city’s most popular square.”
An Indian Express report, dated January 12, 2020, also carried a similar image while reporting on anti-CAA protests in Kolkata amid PM Modi’s visit
This led us to conclude that the viral photograph showing a street graffiti saying “Go Back Modi” dates back to 2020, and was painted as a part of anti- CAA protest in Kolkata.
Result: False
Furthermore, a comparison between the viral photograph showing a street graffiti of “Go Back Modi” and the one saying “Vanakkam Modi” led us to conclude that the latter has been digitally edited.
Hence, an old image from Kolkata with street graffiti saying “Go Back Modi” has been digitally manipulated to replace the original text with “Vanakkam Modi” to extend support to the Prime Minister during his recent visit to Tamil Nadu.
Result: Altered Photo
Sources
Report By The News Minute, Dated February 9, 2019
Report By News18 Telugu, Dated February 9, 2019
Article By BuzzFeed, Dated March 15, 2016
PetaPixel Website
Tweet By @Madhurima_ML, Dated January 11, 2020
Google Images
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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.
