Fact Check: Old Hoarding on Modi’s Popularity Is Falsely Connected to G20 Summit

A picture of a hoarding congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for securing the title of being 'the most popular' global leader is viral on the internet.

The hoarding carries a picture of the PM and his 'popularity percentage’ along with six other leaders with lesser 'popularity percentage' than the PM. (archive)

Social media users claim that the hoarding was displayed in Delhi ahead of the G20 summit that was held on September. 9 and 10 (archive). Netizens are criticizing the political party for participating in such a self-promotional PR strategy.

FACT CHECK:

We performed a reverse image search and found an article by news agency Associated Press published on September 6, 2023. The report was on PM Modi and Delhi's preparation ahead of the G20 Summit. The caption stated that the picture was taken in Delhi on April 6, 2023.

The dateline of the picture makes it clear that the hoarding was installed much ahead of the G20 summit and has no connection to it. Moreover, any content about the G20 Summit carries its logo, which is missing from the viral image, making it evident the hoarding is not connected to the Summit.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vijay Goel also posted the image on X (formerly Twitter) stating that the claim is fake news and that no such hoarding has been erected in Delhi. (archive)

The picture was made into a hoarding after Narendra Modi was titled 'the most popular' global leader in January 2022. According to reports by India Today and Business Today, Modi surpassed world leaders like Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and US’ Joe Biden. This survey was released by Morning Consult Political Intelligence.

Evidently, an old image is being wrongly shared to mislead netizens to make them believe that the PM is 'the most popular' global leader, ahead of the G20 Summit.