Fact Check: Viral photo shows Indira Gandhi eating roasted corn not seafood
A photo of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi eating has gone viral on social media with netizens pointing out that she is eating seafood despite
By Newsmeter Network Published on 27 Nov 2021 8:02 AM GMT
Hyderabad: A photo of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi eating has gone viral on social media with netizens pointing out that she is eating seafood despite being a 'Dattatreya Brahmin'. The photo is being shared with the caption in Hindi that translates to, "Dattatreya Brahmin Rahul Gandhi's grandmother enjoying seafood."
This is in reference to a Pushkar temple priest's claim that Rahul Gandhi's 'gotra' (lineage) is 'Dattatreya' and he is a "Kashmiri Brahmin". (Read here)
Fact Check
The claim that the photo shows Indira Gandhi eating seafood is false.
NewsMeter performed a reverse image search and found the same picture in an article by The Hindu published in 2017 following the demise of veteran photographer Sridhar Naidu. The photo caption reads, "Former prime minister Indira Gandhi digging heartily into maize corn - a photograph clicked by Sridhar Naidu." The most acclaimed contribution of the photographer was the exclusive photograph of Indira Gandhi "ravenously eating roasted corn (makka butta) at Fateh Maidan Club".
A closer look at the original photo clearly shows Indira Gandhi eating roasted corn and not seafood as is being claimed.
Moreover, Indira Gandhi was not a vegetarian. In her biography "The Unseen Indira Gandhi: Through Her Physician's Eyes" Dr. K.P Mathur says she liked to eat fish. An excerpt from the book reads, "Once, in Murshidabad in West Bengal, for lunch the normal dal roti and chawal was served for her (Indira Gandhi) but she could smell fish being cooked in mustard oil, ready to be served. She immediately asked for it and had a liberal helping of "mach-bhat" and liked it very much."
Clearly, a photo of Indira Gandhi eating roasted corn is being shared with false claims.
