Photo captured when Modi was performing parikrama is shared with erroneous claims.
Claim
Modi ji, it is considered disrespectful to show our backs to our deities. Whom are you facing? Irony!
Rating
Explanation
A photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi showing his back to Lord Ganesha while worshipping is widely shared on social media. This photo is shared to ridicule Modi that it is disrespectful to show one’s back to the deities. And some Twitter users including the opposition party leaders also commented that he is praying to his camera. Some of the posts with such a claim can be seen here, here and here.
To hyper Hindus who are getting mad at Modi ji for showing his back to bhagwan he is actually doing this so he can bow to his true God that is the common citizen of India through camera. None of you deserve a leader this great shame on you. https://t.co/8I1vUoq2H7
— Mr Melancholy (@chakravartiin) August 1, 2023
What is the truth?
When searching the social media handles of Narendra Modi we found a tweet dated 1, August 2023 carrying the same image among a set of images. The tweet mentions that the photos are from his visit to the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir in Pune.
https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1686308954425749504?s=46&t=kIszbQH_arRSG8kPbuGeZw
The same viral image is also posted on the official handle of BJP. This proves that the image is not edited or photoshopped but real. We further searched to find the video of his visit.
ॐ गं गणपतये नम: pic.twitter.com/XnXa5EvLET
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 1, 2023
The Youtube channel Narendra Modi has a video uploaded on August 1. This video shows him performing rituals in the Shrimant Dagdusheth temple in Pune, Maharashtra. But this video does not have any visual matching with the viral image.
We found multiple tweets including that of Sagar Goud, Ankur Singh and Tehseen Poonawalla carrying a video related to the viral image. All these tweets mention that Modi is performing a pooja or parikrama when the photo was clicked. The video shows Modi performing parikrama and the viral image was likely clicked during this ritual.
https://twitter.com/sagar4bjp/status/1686603821441851392?s=46&t=kIszbQH_arRSG8kPbuGeZw
Circumambulation or parikrama or pradakshina is an integral part of Hindu practice where the person starts at a point, moves in a clockwise direction ceremoniously and ends at the same point. It is found that a photo taken during this parikrama was shared with erroneous claims.
Conclusion
It is found that a photo taken when Modi was performing parikrama in a temple in Pune is shared with erroneous claims.
