People Are Buying Modi’s Email, Digicam & Radar Claims, But Why?

While it’s difficult to digest Modi’s emailing, camera and radar claims, many still believe what he says. But why?

(Photo: The Quint)

In an interview to News Nation on Saturday, 11 May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that he might have been the first person in India to use a digital camera in 1987. According to him, he was at a public rally in Viramgam tehsil, about 60 kilometres from Ahmedabad, where he used it to click a colour photograph of his mentor Lal Krishna Advani and sent it to New Delhi through email.

After these tall claims, ‘Modi hai toh Mumkin hai’ has become the slogan of the day.

While it is amusing, ridiculous and difficult for many to digest PM Modi’s recent claims over emailing and clicking a colour photo in 1987, others actually believe what he says instead of cross-checking the facts.

To our surprise, many even blindly accepted our prime ministers’ ‘cloud cover can prevent radar detection’ theory.

I have a question for all such people – Why be stupefied by such news that are being thrusted upon us? Why not look for facts?

If you are slightly puzzled as to why I am talking about PM Modi’s claims... here is the truth.

The first digital camera to actually go on sale was the 1990 Dycam Model 1, according to technology publisher CNET. In fact, the JPEG and MPEG image standards were adopted only in 1988. As far as the email is concerned, the first public internet service came only on 14 August 1995, when Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) started its operations. It is a fact universally acknowledged that the first photograph to be sent as an attachment was in 1992

As ordinary folks, it’s time to introspect. Why is this happening and how much are we to be blamed for this?

Is it simply what German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche said – “Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed”?