In poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, political propaganda is on full swing. An image of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan purportedly consuming meat has gone viral on social media.
Several individuals on Facebook have shared the image with a message, ” शर्म करो शिवराज चौहान, मीट मुर्ग़ा खाते हो और जनता के सामने कट्टर हिन्दू होने का दिखावा करते हो. शिवराज की फ़ोटो लीक (Have some shame, Shivraj Chouhan, you eat meat while pretend to be a hardcore Hindu in front of the public. Leaked photo of Shivraj -translated)”.
The identical text that is being shared along with different images suggests that this image is being widely circulated on WhatsApp.
What is the Truth?
Alt News used Google reverse image search to find the origins of the image. The original image was published in an article by The Tribune.
According to the report, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan carries home-cooked food and manages to rest by taking short naps inside the chopper that flies him from one place to another in the grueling election season. The image in The Tribune article shows him having his lunch in one such helicopter ride.
Social media users should be circumspect about images that are used for political propaganda in the run up to the elections. In the past, a photoshopped image of Karnataka Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy eating meat was circulated in run up to Karnataka by-polls, while she also claims to be vegetarian.
(Published in an arrangement with Alt News)
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