COVID-19: Another Fake Quote Attributed to Ratan Tata Goes Viral

“My picture alongside a quote does not guarantee me having said it, a problem that many people face,” Tata said.

“2020 जीवित रहने का साल है । लाभ हानि की चिंता ना करें” [Translation: 2020 Is The Year to Stay Alive, Don’t Care About Profit & Loss] - An article with the aforementioned headline, attributed to Ratan Tata, is being widely circulated on social media amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the message is fake and no such statement has been issued by the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons.

THE CLAIM

A clipping of the article is being widely circulated on all social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. According to the article, Tata said that the year 2020 is the year to survive in the world of trade and business and one must not care about profit and losses.

Several Hindi news websites like Janhit Khabar and Dainik Savera shared the article with the same claim.

An archived version of the video can be accessed here.

Hindi Daily ‘Prabhat Khabar’ also carried the article in their print edition dated 3 May.

WHAT WE FOUND

A simple look at the article raised certain red flags. While it mentions Ratan Tata as the source, there is no mention of where the statement was issued. We searched the official Twitter and Instagram handles of Tata Sons Chairman and found no such statement.

Finally, a clarification was issued by Ratan Tata himself on Twitter and Instagram where he called out misinformation.

I’m afraid this too, has not been said by me. I will endeavour to call out fake news whenever I can, but would encourage you to always verify news sources. My picture alongside a quote does not guarantee me having said it, a problem that many people face. pic.twitter.com/pk0S75FxPA

— Ratan N. Tata (@RNTata2000) May 3, 2020

“My picture alongside a quote does not guarantee me having said it, a problem that many people face,” he said.

Earlier, a fake quote on how economy will “bounce back” after coronavirus was attributed to Tata.

Evidently, an unverified quote, has once again been attributed to Ratan Tata, and is being shared on the internet to claim that he has asked businessmen and traders to only think of surviving the year 2020 in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak.

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