Two versions of a photograph of Congress leaders Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi has been shared on social media. In the photo, the politicians can be seen holding a document. Curiously, the two versions insinuate that they are endorsing the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
BJP leader Vinay Chauhan and spokesperson Neetu Singh shared the version that showed the Gandhi siblings holding a document that reads, “Yogi is set to be elected…” (आएंगे तो योगी जी ही). The photo also shows them adorning a tika (vermillion) on their foreheads. The image has been shared ahead of elections in UP.
आएंगे तो योगी जी ही…… pic.twitter.com/EPhZFccjs9
— Neetu Singh ???????? (@INeetuDabas) January 21, 2022
It has been amplified by several pro-Facebook groups such as ‘Iron Man Modi – लोह पुरुष मोदी ????????????????????????‘ [over 2 lakh followers]; ‘मोदीजी 370 के बाद अब POK की बारी????????????‘ [over 1 lakh followers]; and BJP MISSION 350+ ‘LOKSABHA-2024’ [over 3 lakh followers].
A few days after this image was shared, AAP Gurgaon posted the same image but the document held by the Congress leaders reads, “Punjab’s pride” (पंजाब दी शान) with an image of AAP’s Punjab chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann. AAP Gurgaon later took down the post.
This post was also shared on several pro-AAP Facebook groups such as We Support “Arvind Kejriwal” [over one lakh followers]; Aam Aadmi Party – Arvind Kejriwal [over 40K followers]; I ???????????? Manish Sisodia [over 80K followers].
Morphed images
After performing a reverse image search, we found that Rahul Gandhi had tweeted the original image on January 21. The viral images are morphed iterations of the same. The text on the document held by the Gandhi siblings in the original photo reads, “भर्ती विधान युवा घोषणा पत्र” which is the youth manifesto for the upcoming UP elections. It is titled ‘Bharti Vidhan’ and lays out the party’s vision for the youth in the state.
जो चीज़ें दिल से, ज़िम्मेदारी और ईमानदारी से की जाती हैं उनका नतीजा अच्छा ही होता है।
यूपी की जनता को और कांग्रेस के हर कार्यकर्ता को मेरी शुभकामनाएँ।#कांग्रेस_का_भर्ती_विधान pic.twitter.com/tALA3FwCdS
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 21, 2022
The collage below compares the original image with the morphed versions.
To sum it up, two morphed images were shared on social media. While one of them was shared by BJP members to show Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi supporting Yogi Adityanath ahead of UP polls, the other portrayed them supporting AAP’s Punjab CM candidate Bhagwant Mann.
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