Fabricated India Today magazine cover targets opposition leader Rahul Gandhi after state vote defeat
- Published on December 6, 2024 at 03:12
- 2 min read
- By Sachin BAGHEL, AFP India
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"The Defeated Prince," read an X post that shared an image of a purported "Maharashtra election special" issue of the popular India Today magazine featuring Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi on its cover.
The cover appears to be dated "November 23, 2024" and labelled Gandhi the "Maha-raja of Mishap".
The post began circulating on social media shortly after the results of the Maharashtra assembly elections were announced -- with Gandhi's opposition Congress party defeated by a coalition led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (archived link).
The image was also shared alongside similar claims on X and Facebook.
India Today, however, said the image showed a "fake" magazine cover in a statement released on its official X account on November 25, 2024 (archived link).
Its post included a video showing other purported covers that the magazine also disowned.
"India Today magazine DID NOT publish these stories on Rahul Gandhi," the magazine said.
"The dates written on the viral covers are November 23 and December 2. On November 23, the magazine did not publish an edition. The December 2 edition also does not feature a story about the Congress leader."
AFP checked the official website of the magazine and did not find the purported issue on November 23, 2024, as the posts claimed (archived link).
The issue released on November 25 featured a cover story on workplace stress, while a December 2 edition was centred on online scams.
Below is a screenshot of the false post (left) and recent editions of India Today magazine available on its website (right):
AFP has repeatedly debunked misinformation swirling around the assembly elections in Maharashtra.
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