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.
The image resurfaced in April 2023 amid the ongoing Ramadan season.
A photograph, in which several prominent Indian politicians of the past, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Dr BR Ambedkar among others, can be seen seated for a meal, is going viral with a claim to show the ‘first iftar party of independent India.’ It is being widely shared with the caption, “First Iftar party after independence in 1947 hosted by first education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to his colleagues including Jawahar Lal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar and Dr. Rajender Prasad.” Newschecker found the claim to be untrue.
Several Facebook users shared the image claiming to show ‘first iftar party of independent India.’
The image also found its way to Twitter.
The photograph comes in the context of the ongoing month of Ramadan, observed with solemn austerity by the members of the Muslim community across the world. Iftar is the meal served at the end of the day during Ramadan, to break the day’s fast. It is served at sunset during each day of Ramadan.
Fact Check/Verification
To verify the veracity of the claim, Newschecker conducted Google reverse image search on the viral photograph and found it in free media respiratory, Wikimedia commons with the caption, ‘Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with his cabinet, including Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the then law minister, sitting down for a meal.’ The description about the image roughly translates to, “Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was present at the banquet invitation extended by Vallabhbhai Patel to the Cabinet after he became the first Indian governor-general. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad and other ministers were also present.”
We found that the same image was featured in a Amar Ujala report dated August 15, 2021 with a caption that roughly translates to ‘first cabinet having lunch.’ The image was attributed to Wikimedia commons.
The image was also posted in a website called ‘Live History India’, with the caption, “Members of the first cabinet of India sharing a meal. This picture was taken in June 1948 when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel threw a luncheon to celebrate the appointment of C. Rajagopalachari as the first Indian Governor-General.”
We found that the image was also uploaded on Alamy.com with a similar caption.
Newschecker continued the investigation and found a different version of the viral photo in a website called Zoroastrians.
According to its caption, “Nehru’s Cabinet seen at lunch hosted by Sardar Patel after C. Rajagopalachari became Governor-General, 1948. Seated here are: Rafi Ahmad Kidwai, Baldeve Singh, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, John Matthai, Jagjivan Ram, Mr Gadgil, Mr Neogi, Dr Ambedkar, Shyama Prasad Mookherji, Gopalaswamy Iyengar and Jayaramdas Daulatram.”
Conclusion
The claim that the viral image shows the ‘first Iftar party of Independent India’ is not true. The photograph is from a luncheon thrown by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to celebrate the appointment of C. Rajagopalachari as the first Indian Governor-General.
Result: False Context/False
Sources
(This article was originally published in Newschecker Urdu.)
| Update: The article was updated on April 10, 2023 to remove the broken links to social media posts |
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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.
