Randeep Surjewala Shares an Old Picture From Nepal as ‘New India’

The picture is nearly eight years old and it shows a Nepalese woman carrying her baby on a bicycle.

(Photo: Twitter/Altered by The Quint)

A picture that shows a woman riding a bicycle while carrying a baby on her back and a sac on the back seat was shared by Congress leader Randeep Surjewala to take a jibe at the central government.

The tweet, which has now been deleted, was shared with a caption, “न्यू इंडिया का सच! (Reality of New India)”. However, we found out that the picture is nearly eight years old and it shows a Nepalese woman carrying her baby on a bicycle.

An archived version can be found here.(Source: Twitter)

The picture was also shared by the spokesperson of Samajwadi Party, Richa Singh.

An archived version can be found here.(Source: Twitter)

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

On conducting a reverse image search, we came across a picture that was uploaded on Pinterest. The caption mentioned that the picture was from Nepal.

(Source: Pinterest/Screenshot)

However, the link from where the picture was saved isn’t active anymore. Following this we conducted a reverse image search with relevant keywords.

We then came across a fact-check article by The Times of India, which mentioned that the picture was available on ‘European Pressphoto Agency’.

As per the details of the photograph available on the agency’s website, the picture was taken in 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The description further mentions that it ‘shows a Nepalese mother carrying her child on her back as she travels on a bicycle towards Nepalgunj city’.

(Source: European Pressphoto Agency/Screenshot)

Clearly, an old photograph from Nepal was used by the two politicians, but it must be noted that because of the coronavirus lockdown, migrant labourers having been enduring hardships every day as they walk hundreds and thousands of kilometres to reach their homes.

(With inputs from SM Hoax Slayer)

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