Fact-check: Did Akhilesh Yadav not pay respects after Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s demise?

by Kinjal

A photo from Akhilesh Yadav’s wedding where the SP leader is pictured with former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is circulating widely on social media platforms. Users are claiming that Yadav did not pay his respects after the senior leader’s passing even though he was a guest at his wedding.

It is worth noting that a range of viral claims is being shared online against the backdrop of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections.

The claim is widespread on Facebook and Twitter.

Alt News discovered that this image had been circulated with the same claim back in 2018 as well.

Fact-check

We performed a keyword search which led us to a tweet posted by Akhilesh Yadav dated August 17, 2018. He shared two photos of himself paying tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee. One of these is the same image that is viral currently. The other shows him paying his respects to the senior leader by offering flowers at his last rites ceremony.

The Times of India reported that Yadav had offered a floral tribute during Vajpayee’s last rites ceremony. A News18 Hindi report carried a photo of the tribute.

SP had tweeted images of its members paying their respects to Atal Bihar Vajpayee on August 17, 2018.

An old viral claim about Akhilesh Yadav not paying a tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee after his death has gone viral once again, this time against the backdrop of the upcoming 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections.

About the Author

Kinjal Parmar holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. However, her keen interest in journalism, drove her to pursue journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. At Alt News since 2019, she focuses on authentication of information which includes visual verification, media misreports, examining mis/disinformation across social media. She is the lead video producer at Alt News and manages social media accounts for the organization.