India TV Fact Check: A photo of Shiv Sena (UTB) chief Uddhav Thackeray and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sabha Rahul Gandhi is being shared on social media with the claim that the former Maharashtra Chief Minister bowed down to greet the Congress leader. However, when India TV fact-checked this claim, it was found to be completely false.
What is going viral?
A photo of Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi is going viral on social media. In the image, Thackeray appears to be bowing down to Rahul Gandhi. A Facebook user named Utkal Thakor shared the picture with the caption, "The lust for power makes people do anything." Similarly, on X (formerly Twitter), a user named Nahar Singh shared the same image, commenting, "The lust for power makes people do anything. How much lower will they go?"
India TV investigated
As the image of Uddhav and Rahul Gandhi was going viral on social media, we decided to investigate this claim. We started by checking the X handle of Uddhav Thackeray's party, Shiv Sena (UBT). We found a tweet from August 8 showing Uddhav Thackeray meeting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's family, where he is bowing and greeting them while wearing the same kurta seen in the viral photo with Rahul Gandhi.
When we scrolled the X handle of Shiv Sena UBT to find a picture of Uddhav Thackeray with Rahul Gandhi, we found a tweet dated a day before i.e. August 7. In this photo, Rahul Gandhi is seen wearing the same T-shirt and holding the same bouquet as in the viral image. This confirms that the viral photo of Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi has been manipulated. In reality, Uddhav Thackeray was bowing and greeting Arvind Kejriwal's parents.
What came out in the Fact Check?
A fact check by India TV has confirmed that the viral image showing Uddhav Thackeray bowing down to Rahul Gandhi has been doctored. In reality, Thackeray was bowing to members of Arvind Kejriwal's family, not Rahul Gandhi. People are advised to be cautious of such misleading viral posts.
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