Fake Letter Urging Citizens To Buy ‘Swadeshi’ in Festivals Attributed to PM Modi

We found out that this purported letter has been circulating on the internet since 2016.

Fact-Check: This letter is fake and no such letter has been signed by PM Modi.

(Source: The Quint) 

A letter attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with his signature, urging citiziens to purchase and use only 'Swadeshi' or 'Made in India' products for the Diwali festival season, is going viral on social media.

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is the claim true?: No, the claim is false as this letter is fake.

• This was confirmed by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), as well.

• The letter has been in circulation on the internet since 2016.

What we found: At first, we ran a relevant keyword search to find whether PM Modi had made any such annoucements or put out this letter; however, we did not find this letter on his official social media handles, party handles or websites.

• However, we found out that in his monthly 'Mann ki Baat,' dated 28 September, PM Modi urged the citizens to shop only 'Swadeshi' products for the festival season.

• He noted, "If we decide to celebrate this festival only with Swadeshi products, you will see the joy of our celebrations rise manifold. Make ‘Vocal for Local’ your shopping mantra." (sic.)

Here is the excerpt on shopping Swadeshi in PM Modi's 'Mann ki Baat.' 

(Source: PMIndia.MyGov/Screenshot) 

• Team WebQoof, then, ran a Google reverse image search on the viral letter and found a post on Facebook carrying the same visual but dated 4 October 2016.

• The post's caption noted a mesage about the brand and 'Make in India.'

• This made it clear that the letter had been in circulation since 2016 and was not recent.

• We, then ran a relevant keyword search and found a post on PMO India dated 31 August 2016.

• It carried a similar looking visual as the viral letter and noted, "Few appeals with PM’s ‘signature’ are circulated on social media. Such documents are not authentic." (sic.)

The Quint fact-checked the same claim in 2019, and you can read the story here.

Conclusion: A fake letter attributed to PM Modi has gone viral to falsely claim that he urged Indians to go 'Swadeshi' this festival season.

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