New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited a shop in Jhargram, West Bengal, where he bought and enjoyed a local snack called ‘jhalmuri.’ Following this, claims emerged suggesting that the vendor was an officer of the Special Protection Group (SPG). However, it has now been confirmed that he was merely a shopkeeper, not an SPG official.
The narrative circulating on social media was misleading, constructed from various images. According to a fact-check by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the assertion linking the vendor to the SPG is false.
Even AI chatbot Grok clarified the situation, stating, “No, this is not true. It is a humorous meme. The photo on the right is of the actual vendor, while the left shows a stock image of an SPG officer. There is no evidence that they are the same person.”
PIB’s fact-check highlighted that a post circulating on social media falsely claimed that the local vendor visited by the Prime Minister was actually a security personnel. This claim has been debunked.
The vendor, identified as Vikram Shaw (sometimes referred to as Deepak Kumar), expressed his surprise at the Prime Minister’s unexpected visit. In an interview, he described it as a “very big deal,” noting that the Prime Minister asked about his well-being and insisted on paying for the jhalmuri.
Shaw shared that he earns a modest living to support his family and never imagined such an encounter. He also expressed regret for not asking for an autograph.
During the visit, the Prime Minister was seen interacting with local residents, laughing, and enjoying the jhalmuri. Contrary to the viral claims, the reality is straightforward: it was a simple, human interaction in a small town, misrepresented on social media.
Within minutes of the Prime Minister’s spontaneous stop, a flood of memes appeared online, falsely asserting that the vendor was not a genuine shopkeeper but an SPG officer. The truth remains that Vikram Shaw is just an ordinary vendor.
He remarked, “It is a huge honor for me that the Prime Minister came to my stall to eat jhalmuri. He first asked my name and inquired about my well-being, then requested me to prepare the jhalmuri. When I finished, he asked for the price. I initially refused to take the money, but he insisted.”
My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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