Parts of social media, on Friday, broke into a frenzy with tweets that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been adjudged the best prime minister in the world – yes, yet again.
The tweets seemed to be based on what was circulated a day before. The award was said to have been declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
I am proud to be #Indian, thank you @UNESCO for judging @narendramodi as best PM of the world
— Pranay Rupani (@pranayrupani) June 23, 2016
Received on @WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/PQqDhjQR8f
The news was taken seriously by many.
UNESCO has declared Narendra Modi the best PM of the World. No matter your personal view about him, every Indian should be proud
— Joy (@Joydas) June 23, 2016
By Friday, copy-paste versions of the same tweet started floating.
Coincidentally, it was all happening about the same time that India's dreams to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group were falling apart – and it was becoming cleat that, at the least, Indian diplomacy had received a severe setback.
International billiards player Pankaj Advani too fell for the bluff and got roasted by trolls for sharing the wrong information. He issued a correction, pointing out how a wrong tweet got him more attention than winning a world title.
I know I got my facts wrong but this apparently gets more attention than when I win a WORLD TITLE!! 🙄🙄 🙏🏻 https://t.co/vWeBwdeuaO
— Pankaj Advani (@PankajAdvani247) June 25, 2016
Once it was confirmed to be a hoax, Twitterati didn't lose any time in trolling those who had sought to spread the hoax – or had fallen for it.
UNESCO has not declared PM Modi as the *Best PM of the world*! UNESCO is not a 14 year old girl, and PM Modi is not its boyfriend. Geez
— Vande Mataram (@UnSubtleDesi) June 23, 2016
Modi has been declared World's Best Travelling PM by UNESCO.
— lindsay pereira (@lindsaypereira) June 25, 2016
Congrats, Narendra Modi-ji for getting voted Best PM Ever by UNESCO - United Nagpur Extreme Sanghi Chaddi Organization.
— Nehr-who? (@threeinchfooll) June 25, 2016
UNESCO has declared Narendra Modi as the best PM and subramanian swamy as the best comedian. Proud virat Hindu moment.
— Redjohn. (@WhiskeeyRiver) June 23, 2016
Anupam Kher has been awarded as best PM in supporting role category by UNESCO #ProudMoment
— Dear Mark Zuckerberg (@Mark_Zuckirberg) June 25, 2016
In some parallel universe #UNESCO has just awarded PM Modi as the best camera spotter in the world, moment of proud for goumutra drinkers
— Riya Mukherjee (@riyalovezu) June 25, 2016
@nimitarora1991 @Joydas and his speeches keep winning the best speech award!
— The Fat Bastard (@dipeshdutt) June 23, 2016
If Modi is the best PM according to UNESCO then Donald Trump is the sexiest man alive.
— God of Tits & Scotch (@SuchAMisfit) June 25, 2016
This is not the first time that such rumours have been sought to be spread.
@Joydas this is being recycled from Sept 2015? 😯😯 pic.twitter.com/HQSd4EhUcv
— Jai Chiranjeeva (@CHIRU_NEWS) June 23, 2016
Not just 2015, these rumours were floated in 2014 as well.
Congratulations to all of us! Our PM has been adjudged to be the best PM in the World by UNESCO ~ @M_Lekhi
— नवेन्दु (@NavenduSingh_) June 22, 2014
Hey @M_Lekhi heard our PM has been adjudged as the "Best PM of the World" by UNESCO???
— Naqui (@naqui_s) June 22, 2014
Earlier, Indian National Anthem was said to have bagged the position of the best national anthem in the world.
CONGRATS!
— ♕Deep Panchal★ (@dieppj) July 2, 2012
OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM "JAN GAN MANN" IS DECLARED AS "THE BEST ANTHEM OF THE WORLD" BY UNESCO.
Pm BE PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN
JAI HIND!
7:03 PM 7/24 Our national anthem (jana gana mana ) is SELETED as a world's best national anthem by UNESCO. pass it 2 all indians
— G. S. (@gulshanrajput) July 25, 2010
It seems there is a much-needed hoax-slayer designed specially for Indian social media, modelled after Snopes.com, the definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumours, and misinformation. Perhaps it is yet another reminder to check before passing on a WhatsApp message or tweet, otherwise, as in this case, it just becomes necessary to delete such tweets.