New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Barkha Dutt were among several Twitter users who fell for a hoax Monday surrounding the unveiling of a portrait of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On 23 January, the 125th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter, President Ram Nath Kovind unveiled a portrait of Bose at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Kovind unveils the portrait of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Rashtrapati Bhavan to commemorate his 125th birth anniversary celebrations. pic.twitter.com/Y3BnylwA8X
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 23, 2021
Soon afterwards, many Twitter users alleged that the portrait was not of Bose, but that of Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee dressed as the freedom fighter for the 2019 film Gumnaami.
However, Bose’s grand-nephew Chandrakant Bose, a member of the BJP, confirmed to ThePrint that the portrait was indeed that of Netaji.
As the hoax was called out on social media, many users — including Sardesai, Moitra & Dutt — deleted their tweets.
ThePrint reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan press secretary by call and mail but they refused comment.
‘Very difficult to draw Netaji’
In a tweet, Chandrakant Bose said the portrait had been drawn by painter Paresh Maity, a Padma Shri awardee, based on a black-and-white close-up shot of Netaji.
This is the original photograph of #NetajiSubhasChandraBose, based on which renowned artist Shri #PareshMaity has drawn the portrait which was unveiled at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 23 Jan 2021, by Hon’ble President of India-Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji. @rashtrapatibhvn @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/WTOHqtgs3p
— Chandra Kumar Bose (@Chandrakbose) January 25, 2021
“The artist took the image that I shared on my social media last year as a reference,” Chandrakant Bose told ThePrint. “Many artists have told me it is very difficult to draw Netaji — especially difficult to get his chin and nose right, so many people must’ve doubted the veracity of the portrait,” he said.
In collaboration with SM Hoaxslayer
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube & Telegram
Why news media is in crisis & How you can fix it
India needs free, fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism even more as it faces multiple crises.
But the news media is in a crisis of its own. There have been brutal layoffs and pay-cuts. The best of journalism is shrinking, yielding to crude prime-time spectacle.
ThePrint has the finest young reporters, columnists and editors working for it. Sustaining journalism of this quality needs smart and thinking people like you to pay for it. Whether you live in India or overseas, you can do it here.