It is the perception that made look Pakistani Flag bigger than Indian flag in Kochin’s Lulu Mall.
Claim
Rating
Explanation
World Cup Cricket 2023 has kickstarted on October 5th. Following this, the flags of the 10 countries participating in the World Cup were placed at Lulu Mall in Kochi, Kerala. Meanwhile, a photo purportedly showing Pakistan flag bigger compared to other flags including Indian flag is being circulated on social media. This photo also shows Pakistan flag placed above other flags.
This photo is shared mentioning that Kerala has become the new Pakistan, and is a breach of code to place another Country’s flag above Indian tricolour. The viral posts further seek the authorities to take necessary action against Lulu Mall, Kochin, Kerala. Some of the posts with such a claim can be seen here and here.
What is the truth?
When skimming through the Google photos taken at Lulu Mall, Kochin, Kerala we found that the viral photo was indeed taken at Kerala’s Lulu Mall.
We also found multiple photos from the same location posted by various social media users on their handles. But these photos show the flags in different sizes.
An Instagram user Jyothish (_momz_kid_kl08) posted a picture of himself at Lulu Mall in Kochi. It has a Pakistani flag behind him and an England flag on his left side. The two flags appear to have little height difference. At the same time, the South African and Bangladeshi flags behind these flags appear small and look like they are placed below the other flags.
We also found another photo from the same location taken at a different angle. This reveals that the flags are the same in size. Another photo posted by Gaurav Chaudhary shows Indian flag bigger than other flags. This proves that it all depends on the angle from which the photo is taken.
When Youturn contacted Lulu Group, Kochi, Hosanna, Information Desk clarified, “At the Cricket World Cup opening ceremony, flags of participating countries were displayed on LED screens. These flags were later removed after the event. All flags were maintained at the same size and height, but variations in perspective and photography angle, influenced by the viewing floor’s height, can create an illusion where a country’s flag may appear larger or taller. In this manner, the Pakistan flag may be inadvertently photographed to appear larger, potentially spreading misinformation.”
Conclusion
It is found that the photo of flags placed at Kochin’s Lulu Mall taken from a different angle is being shared with false claims. The flags placed were of the same size and height, clarified Lulu Mall.
