Fact Check: Viral Screenshot Of PM Modi Tweet Is Digitally Edited And Shared With Fake Claim

Fact Check: A viral screenshot of a purported X post by PM Modi claiming the I.N.D.I.A bloc received record votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls is digitally altered.

Fact Check: The claim shared with digitally altered X post by PM Modi is fake.

Fact Check: A screenshot of a purported X (formerly Twitter) post by PM Modi is being widely shared with a claim that he has said people across India voted for the I.N.D.I.A opposition bloc in record numbers in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls. An investigation by the PTI Fact Check Desk has found that the viral screenshot claiming that it had been published from PM Modi's X handle was digitally edited. The claim shared in the social media posts is fake.

Claim

A Facebook user shared on April 20 a screenshot of a purported X post by PM Modi, which quoted him stating that people voted for the opposition’s INDIA bloc in record numbers in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, which was held on April 19. 

The text on the screenshot read: “First phase, great response. Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today’s voting. It’s clear that people across India are voting for INDIA in record numbers.”

Meanwhile, the caption of the post read, “Modi ji got the exit poll numbers, which suggest that people have voted against the NDA in record numbers all across the country. This election will be tough for the NDA.”

Here is the link and archive link to the post, and below is a screenshot of the same:

Investigation

On running the viral screenshot through Google Lens, we found another Facebook post, carrying the same claim.

Here is the link and archive link to the post, and below is a screenshot of the same:

The same screenshot was shared on X as well. Two such posts can be here and here, and their archived versions can be seen here and here, respectively. 

On further scanning the search results, we came across another X post, which carried a screenshot of an X post purportedly by PM Modi, similar to the one viral on social media. 

“First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today’s voting. It’s clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers,” read the text on the screenshot shared in the post. 

Here is the link and archive link to the post, and below is a screenshot of the same:

Taking a cue from this, the Desk scanned the official X handle to search for the post in question. 

Here is the link to the X post by PM Modi shared on April 19, after the first phase polling concluded. Below is a screenshot of the same:

Below is a combination image, comparing the viral screenshot to the original post and also highlights how “NDA” has been replaced with “INDIA” in the former. 

Subsequently, the Desk concluded that a screenshot of an X post by PM Modi was digitally altered to make it look like he asked voters to vote for the opposition’s INDIA alliance. 

CLAIM

After the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi shared an X post asking people to vote for INDIA alliance.

FACT

Screenshot of an X post by PM Modi was digitally altered and shared with false claims.

CONCLUSION

Several social media users shared a screenshot of a purported X post by PM Modi in which he suggests people to vote for the opposition’s INDIA alliance. In its investigation, the Desk found that screenshot of an X post by PM Modi was digitally altered to make it look like he wrote in favour of the INDIA bloc. The edited screenshot was shared on social media with false claims.

This story was originally published by PTI Fact Check, as part of the Shakti Collective. Except for the headline, excerpt, and the opening introduction para, this story has not been edited by ABPLIVE staff.