Is the late President Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam travelled in an ordinary train while the President Ramnath kovind is commuting in a special train ?

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Explanation

The photo of the late former President Abdul Kalam standing on an ordinary train and the photo of the current President of India Ramnath kovind getting off a special train with security officials have been collaged and shared on social media.

It is not clear why these collaged photos are being shared. However, many are posting comparative comments about Abdul Kalam’s simplicity with the current President.

Factcheck : 

On June 25, 2021, a video was released on the Official YouTube channel of the President of India, where the President Ramnath kovind is traveling on a special train from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station to Kanpur.

The viral picture of President Ramnath kovind can be seen in a report by Hindustan Times on June 28, when the President had visited Lucknow to lay the foundation stone for the Ambedkar Cultural Center in Lucknow.

While searching for any similar special train travel made by late Indian President Dr.Abdul Kalam, in 2016, India Today reported that the late former President Abdul Kalam was traveling on a special train to Patna in 2003.

A similar special train travel picture of him has been published on the tribuneindia website while he travelled from Chandigarh to Delhi in January 2004.

While reverse image searching the viral photo of Dr.Abdul Kalam standing in an ordinary train, it is found that the photo is featured in Abdul Kalam’s photo gallery on the New Indian Express website. The photo shows him traveling by train to Rourkela in 2010. He was the President of India till 2007.

Conclusion :

In our search, the photo of Abdul Kalam going by ordinary train was not taken when he was the President of India. It was taken when the President boarded the train in 2010 (after his term ended).

It is customary to arrange special train travel for those who are President. Abdul Kalam had also traveled by special train.

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