Claim
Rating
Explanation
An image of Manmohan Singh getting out of a taxi is shared widely in a context that he traveled in a taxi when he was a Prime Minister reflecting his simplicity. Similar posts with such a claim can be seen here, here, and here.
This image is being shared by social media users including many Congress leaders and followers. The photo was also viral since 2021.
What is the truth?
When searching for the image, we found June 2013 dated tweet of a Journalist Vaidehi Taman mentioning the image as “1997 ManmohanSingh went to party leaders office in Taxi”. The archive link of the tweet can be seen here. Manmohan Singh served as a Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014.
In addition to it, the intention of Special Protection Group (SPG) is to provide proximate security cover to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members. India Today in June 2004 reported that “Manmohan was not keen to travel in the bullet-proof BMW which is part of the prime ministerial cavalcade but instead wanted to use an Ambassador. But the SPG said it was mandatory for the prime minister to travel in his bullet-proof BMWs. That set the matter to rest.”
The Hindu Images website posted an image of Manmohan Singh with the caption “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives in a BMW car alongwith SPG guards to receive Singapore Prime Minister in New Delhi on June 29, 2005”. This proves that he was using a vehicle along with SPG guards protection as per the guidelines after becoming the PM.
Conclusion
It is found that the viral image was captured even before Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister of the country. And it is also known that he used the vehicle as per the guidelines along with SPG protection after becoming PM though he was not keen to travel in the bullet proof BMW.
