Fact Check: Modi’s golden bust was installed in Surat but not in Saudi
Modi’s golden bust was installed in Surat but not in Saudi
Golden_Statue_Modi
A video showing a bust of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made of gold on display is going viral with the claim that it has been installed in Saudi Arabia. Several YouTube channels and Facebook users have shared the video.
Fact Check:
The claim is misleading. The video shows the golden bust of Modi at a jewellery shop in Surat, Gujarat.
When we performed a reverse image search of the key frames extracted from the video, we found several reports sharing the screenshots from the video.
We found a similar video published on Amarujala.com in Hindi, stating that a jeweller from Surat city has made a golden statue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the video of which is now going viral on social media. The weight of the idol made of 18-carat gold is 156 grams. The jeweller made this statue to commemorate the BJP's landslide victory in the recent Assembly elections.
According to an article published in Indian Express on January 20, 2023, the jeweller, Basant Bohra, who hails from Rajasthan and had settled in Surat, 20 years ago, is the owner of Radhika Chains, a product by Veli Beli brand. The bust of 4.5-inch length and 3-inch width, weighs 156 gm, which according to Bohra, was a reference to the 156 seats won by the BJP in the recently-concluded Assembly elections.
NDTV report states that as the BJP won 156 out of 182 seats in the polls held in December last year. In accordance, the weight of the prime minister's gold bust was kept at 156 gm, said Basant Bohra, owner of the jewellery-manufacturing unit Radhika Chains.
The bust was an instant hit among the masses and many are interested in purchasing it, but the jeweller has decided not to sell his creation.
Hence, the video showing the golden bust of Narendra Modi is from Surat, Gujarat. It is not from Saudi Arabia. The claim is misleading.