An X (formerly known as Twitter) screenshot claiming state-run news outlet Global Times posted that Chinese president Xi Jinping thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for starting his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur instead of Arunachal Pradesh, is fake.
BOOM found that the viral screenshot is fabricated and Global Times has not reported anything on Xi Jinping thanking Gandhi as being claimed in the graphic.
Congress's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which is a 6700 km long yatra, was started by Gandhi in Manipur on January 14, 2024, and will travel through 15 states before ending in Mumbai on March 20, 2024.
The X screenshot was posted on Facebook by Gaurav Pradhan with the caption, "What did I told you on day one when this yatra first route was published, Arunachal was left out. Congress means Chinese franchise"
The screenshot purports to show a post by Global Times, with a photo of Xi Jinping, and the caption reading, "Chinese Premier Xi Jinping thanks Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for respecting sovereignty of China by starting his Bharat Nyay Yatra from Manipur instead of Indian occupied Arunachal Pradesh."
BOOM has previously fact-checked misinformation posted by Gaurav Pradhan.
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The same viral screenshot was posted by verified X user Minni Razdan (@mini_razdan10) with the caption, "China thanks Rahul Gandhi for starting Nyay Yatra from Manipur & not from ( According to China ) Indian Occupied Arunachal….!!! ?? In other words …,,Congress China are on the same page."
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FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral screenshot is fake and Global Times has not posted anything on Chinese president Xi Jinping thanking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for starting Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur instead of Arunachal Pradesh.
We ran a X advance search and did not find any deleted tweet replies to any post by Global Times X handle that had any mention about Xi Jinping or Rahul Gandhi. Additionally, we did not find any report by the state run outlet on Xi Jinping commenting on Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Also there are several discrepancies in the post which also indicate it was not posted by Global Times. For example the word 'Premier' is used to describe Xi Jinping, whereas that's not the word that is officially used to address him, it is Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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We ran a X advance search which showed that Global Times has never used the word 'Premier' to address Chinese president Xi Jinping.
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Also, there is no other screenshot other that the viral screenshot of the Global Times X post or any credible media reports on any such news incident. This would not be the case if it had been actually posted and there would of been several screenshots of such a post.
BOOM has reached out to Global Times for response via email, the article will be updated upon receiving one.