A viral image on social media claims to show that a banner seen at the felicitation function for weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, after she clinched a silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the win.
However, we found that the original image from the function held on 26 July, where Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, among others, were present, had been morphed.
CLAIM
The banner seen in the viral image mentioned a text in Hindi: 'धन्यवाद मोदी जी, मीराबाई चानू को मेडल दिलाने के लिए' (Translated: Thank you Modi ji for getting Mirabai Chanu a medal)
You can view the archived version here.
(Source: Facebook/ Screenshot)
Jayant Chaudhary, national president of Rashtriya Lok Dal had also tweeted the image. However, he later issued a clarification.
Several social media users shared the image on Facebook and Twitter with a similar claim and the archived version of the posts can be viewed here, here and here.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
We performed a reverse image search on the viral image and came across a press release published on Press Information Bureau (PIB) on 27 July. The report carried the original image in which the text crediting PM Narendra Modi for the Olympic medal couldn't be seen.
On 26 July, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and her coach Vijay Sharma were felicitated by Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur at his residence. The felicitation ceremony also saw the presence of Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North-Eastern Region Kishan Reddy, among others.
Kiren Rijiju had tweeted a set of photos on 26 July, in which the original image can be seen.
On comparing the viral image with the original one, we found several similar elements such as the positioning of people. However, there was a stark difference in the text that was used in the two.
The blank space seen in the original image was used to add the text mentioned in the viral one.
Further, news channel DD News broadcast a bulletin that was uploaded on their YouTube handle on 26 July, in which Rijiju can be heard speaking from 10:03 minutes.
The banner in the backdrop mentions the text: 'Felicitation of Tokyo Olympics Silver Medalist Saikhom Mirbai Chanu, 26 July 2021.' However, there is no text thanking the Prime Minister for the win.
Earlier, The Quint's WebQoof team had debunked another morphed graphic that was being used to falsely claim that Hindi news channel Aaj Tak credited PM Modi for India's first medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Evidently, a morphed image was shared by several social media users claiming to show a banner thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's first medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics.
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