Morphed image shows banner thanking PM Modi for Mirabai Chanu’s Olympic win

Manipur-based Chanu Saikhom Mirabai won the silver medal in the 49 kg weightlifting event on July 24 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She is the first Indian weightlifter to win silver at the Olympics.

An image of Mirabai along with various political leaders including Union Minister for Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju is being shared on social media. The congratulatory banner for Mirabai, in the backdrop, has been highlighted because it reads, “Thank you Modi ji for getting Mirabai Chanu a medal”. (धन्यवाद मोदी जी मीराबाई चानू को मेडल दिलाने के लिए). Rashtriya Lok Dal President Jayant Chaudhary garnered over 850 retweets and close to 4,000 likes for the image.

पदक विजेता का अभिनंदन तो ठीक है लेकिन, ‘#धन्यवाद_मोदी_जी मेडल दिलाने के लिए’ कुछ ज़्यादा नहीं हो गया? 🤔

भक्ति, चापलूसी और अधिप्रचार में खिलाड़ी का अपमान तो मत करो! pic.twitter.com/aNZuLg1C59

— Jayant Chaudhary (@jayantrld) July 30, 2021

Several others have shared the image.

पीछे की फोटो देखिए और जो लिखा है एक बार पढ़िए, मेडल मीरा बाई चानू मेहनत कर के लाई है, या मोदी जी ने दिलाया है ?😁
वाह मोदी जी वाह pic.twitter.com/lRDXQMcUIJ

— Ajmal Khan (@AjmalKh80290843) July 28, 2021

It is widely circulating on Facebook.

Alt News has received multiple verification requests for the image on our WhatsApp helpline number (76000 11160) and our mobile application. Download our mobile application to send such forwards for verification. (Android, iOS)

Morphed image 

A simple reverse image search reveals that the image is morphed. The unedited image was published in a Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports press note on July 27. The images are from a day prior at the residence of Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur. Along with Thakur, Union Minister for Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North-Eastern region Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Minister for AYUSH, Sarbananda welcomed Mirabai.

Unlike the viral image, the text “Thank you Modi ji for getting Mirabai Chanu a medal” is not written on the congratulatory banner.

Here’s a comparison of the viral image (left) and the authentic image (right).

Jayant Chaudhary later tweeted a clarification that the image is edited.

Disregard my above tweet as it has been pointed out that the photo has been edited. Instead of deleting my tweet, am letting it stay just to warn all SM users on how pervasive manipulated media has become. Stay alert, weed out fake news! 🙏🏽

— Jayant Chaudhary (@jayantrld) July 30, 2021

A few days ago, a morphed Aaj Tak graphic crediting PM Narendra Modi for India’s Olympics medal was shared online. It was debunked by Boomlive.