Official RSS page shares old image as Seva Bharati workers working in Kerala flood relief
A set of images along with a donation appeal was shared by the official Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Facebook page with the claim that the individuals in the images were Seva Bharati workers aiding Kerala flood victims. One of the images shared as part of this set shows a reporter with many people standing in the background including a few wearing khakhi shorts resembling the old RSS uniform.
Official RSS page shares old image as Seva Bharati workers working in Kerala flood relief
The image was also widely circulated by many on social media, including the Twitter handle Friends of RSS, which describes itself as an “independent initiative by Swayamsevaks”.
The image is from 2012 Kerala floods
The photograph shared by RSS is not of the recent Kerala floods and was taken during the 2012 floods in the state. The reporter in the image had shared the image that same year.
In August 2012 flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Kozhikode and Kannur districts in north Kerala took the lives of nine people. An image of this event was shared as RSS workers providing aid during the recent Kerala floods. However, this isn’t the only old image reshared with a false narrative.
Images of 2017 Gujarat floods viral on social media as recent Kerala floods
Purported images of RSS workers providing aid and relief to flood-stricken Kerala was widespread on social media with captions carrying a tinge of irony – “Looks like Kerela couldn’t kill all of those RSS Terrorists. Few of them are still alive and are looting the poor flood-struck Keralites.”
Looks like Kerela couldn't kill all of those RSS Terrorists. Few of them are still alive and are looting the poor floodstruck Kerelaites.
Where the hell is PFI, shouldn't they be saving these 100% literate civilians from these chaddi clad barbarians? pic.twitter.com/xPYqVr1Qht
— Biswajit Roy (@biswajitroy2009) August 12, 2018
Twitter users Rishi Bagree and Rajesh KrishnanSimha circulated the same images that drew a combined share of 1,500.
BJP MLA from Karnataka C.T. Ravi also shared photographs of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s “humanitarian efforts”.
Blood Thirsty Commies murdered numerous @RSSorg Karyakartas in Kerala.
— C.T.Ravi (@CTRavi_BJP) August 13, 2018
But when "God's Own Country" crumbled due to severe floods it is the same RSS that saved people & provided them with relief.
This Humanitarian efforts by Nationalists will not be showcased by the Paid Media. pic.twitter.com/IY8iudPEkC
However, these images are actually from Gujarat last year and not Kerala. SM Hoax Slayer found identical images being circulated of RSS workers providing aid during Gujarat flood in August 2017. Multiple users on Facebook had shared the images.
Severe monsoon flooding killed at least 213 in Gujarat last year. Over one lakh residents had to be relocated due to submergence of their homes.
Not isolated incidents
Old or unrelated images have been attributed to RSS several times in the past. In 2015, images of RSS workers in Gujarat was shared as them providing aid during the Nepal earthquake.
Dattatreya Hosabele, a senior RSS functionary based in Nepal, had denied the claims on social media as reported by Nistula Hebbar, the political editor of The Hindu.
Further, the official Twitter handle of RSS had also denied the claim of 20000 RSS workers having reached Nepal.
Media is reporting inflated figures of RSS Swayamsevaks reaching Nepal for rescue work.
— RSS (@RSSorg) April 26, 2015
Last year, Twitter handle @TrueIndology also falsely attributed a picture of a camp in late 1940s East Punjab to RSS.
Recirculating old images as part of a recent or an unrelated event is a mischievous attempt to misinform people. It is advisable to verify photographs viral on social media before believing in them.
Courtesy: www.altnews.in
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Russian military hardware, spare parts for Indian military to be manufactured in India
New Delhi (PTI): Russia agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of military hardware and spare parts for maintenance of Russian-origin arms and defence equipment.
Ways to bolster overall bilateral defence cooperation figured prominently during summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
It has been a long-standing grievance of armed forces that the supply of critical spares and equipment from Russia takes a long time, affecting the maintenance of military systems procured from that country.
"Both sides agreed to encourage joint manufacturing in India of spare parts, components, aggregates and other products for maintenance of Russian origin arms and defence equipment under Make-in-India programme through transfer of technology," a joint statement said.
ALSO READ: India, Russia explore cooperation on small modular reactors, floating nuclear power plants
It said both sides also agreed to set up joint ventures for meeting the needs of the Indian armed forces as well as subsequent export to mutually friendly third countries.
The joint statement said the India-Russia defence partnership is being reoriented to take up joint co-development and co-production of advanced defence technology and systems.
In their meeting on Thursday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov resolved to expand bilateral defence cooperation.
In the meeting, the Indian side showed keen interest in procurement of additional batches of S-400 missile systems from Moscow to bolster its combat prowess.
In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, notwithstanding a warning by the US that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions under the provisions of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Three squadrons have already been delivered.
The S-400 systems played a crucial role during Operation Sindoor. India may also look at procuring the S-500 missile systems from Russia.
In the Modi-Putin talks, the two sides also agreed to continue jointly developing systems of bilateral trade settlements through the use of national currencies.
Additionally, the two sides agreed to continue their consultations on enabling the interoperability of the national payment systems, financial messaging systems, as well as central bank digital currency platforms.
Modi and Putin appreciated the ongoing intensification of the joint work on a free trade agreement on goods between India and the Eurasian Economic Union, covering sectors of mutual interest, the joint statement said.
They also directed both sides to intensify efforts in negotiations on a mutually beneficial agreement on the promotion and protection of investment, it said.
India and Russia also welcomed steps to ensure long-term supply of fertilisers to India and discussed the potential establishment of joint ventures in this area.
