A set of morphed photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are being circulated on social media platforms falsely claiming that the prime minister wore a skull cap while attending an inauguration function held by the Bohra community in Mumbai.
BOOM found that the images are digitally manipulated. In the original photographs, Modi is seen without any cap on his head while attending the programme.
Narendra Modi on February 10 inaugurated a new campus of the Dawoodi Bohra community's educational institute Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah in Mumbai ahead of the city's high voltage municipal elections. Modi was quoted as saying that he attended the inauguration ceremony of the influential Bohra community as their family member and not as a prime minister.
The picture is being peddled with a caption, "Shinde was shocked.. thought for a moment “did I shake hands with AIMIM?”
Click here to view the tweet.
BOOM also received a similar image on its WhatsApp tipline number (7700906588) with a verification request.
Fact Check
BOOM performed reverse image search on the viral photographs and found them to be digitally altered. The original pictures do not show PM Modi wore a skull cap during his interaction with the Dawoodi Bohra Muslims.
Image 1
We found the original picture was tweeted from the official handle of Maharasthra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on February 10.
The photo, along with a set of pictures from the event, was uploaded with a Marathi caption that translates to, "'Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah' Arabic Educational Institute at Andheri Marol, Mumbai was inaugurated today under the auspices of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also present on this occasion."
Click here to view the tweet.
Here is a comparison between the viral picture and the photo tweeted by Maharasthra CM Eknath Shinde.
Image 2
The second picture can be found on a tweet from PM Modi's official handle where he cannot be seen wearing any Islamic cap on his head.
The photo was tweeted on February 10 with a caption saying, "Delighted to join the programme to mark the inauguration of the new campus of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah in Mumbai. The Dawoodi Bohras".
Click here to view the tweet.
The difference between the picture shared on social media and the photo tweeted by PM Modi can be seen below.
Image 3
We found the photo was published on several news articles from February 10, 2023. A Free Press Journal article reported the photo with the caption , "Prime Minister Narendra Modi with spiritual leader Mufaddal Saifuddin during the inauguration of the Dawoodi Bohra community's Arabic Academy in the Marol area of Andheri East, in Mumbai".
The picture credit has been given to news agency The Press Trust of India in the article. Below is a comparison between the viral photo and the original picture.
We also did not spot PM Modi wearing an Islamic skull cap during the inauguration ceremony that was streamed live on February 10, 2023, from the official YouTube channel of PMO India.