Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Several Islamic flags waved during Congress’s roadshow ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of the photo, which led us to this New Indian Express report, dated April 5, 2019, featuring the same photo. “AICC president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra greeting party workers during the road show at Kalpetta after Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers in Wayanad on Thursday,” read the caption of the photo. A similar report can be seen here, confirming that the photo was taken ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Interestingly, the Congress has been criticised by both the BJP and CPI(M) over its “balancing act” with Rahul Gandhi’s roadshow in Wayanad this year visibly different from that in 2019 when green flags of ally IUML outnumbered the Congress’s in the crowd. This time, both the flags were conspicuous by their absence.
“[Kerala CM] Vijayan contended the flags were absent as during the last LS polls in 2019, the BJP had taken a dig at the Congress over IUML flags. At the height of the election campaign in 2019, senior BJP leader Amit Shah had criticised Gandhi for contesting from the constituency in Kerala, and remarked that during a procession in the area, it was difficult to discern whether it was India or Pakistan, alluding to the presence of IUML’s green flags during the Congress leader’s roadshow,” read the Print report, dated April 4, 2024. Similar reports can be seen here and here, which further confirms that the viral photo is not from the ongoing election campaign by the Congress.
Result: Missing Context
Source
The New Indian Express report, April 5, 2019
If you would like us to fact-check a claim, give feedback or lodge a complaint, WhatsApp us at 9999499044 or email us at checkthis@newschecker.in. You can also visit the Contact Us page and fill out the form. Follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates.
Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
