NYT clarifies it didn’t call Modi ‘last, best hope of earth’; editorial questioned for double standard
By Team Newsable | First Published Sep 30, 2021, 5:37 PM ISTNew York Times Communications, the newspaper’s public relations confirmed on Twitter that the image is fabricated, and that the NYT did not carry it on its front page.
The New York Times on Wednesday in its print edition said an image of a front page article featuring Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the headline “Last, Best Hope of Earth” was “completely fabricated”.
New York Times Communications, the newspaper’s public relations confirmed on Twitter that the image is fabricated, and that the NYT did not carry it on its front page.
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As a result, Alok Bhatt, a Chartered Accountant by profession, took a dig at NYT’s editorial standard and said a ‘story by @CoraEngelbrecht & #SharifHassan http://nyti.ms/3AOR2M7 is based on parody handle as chancellor.’
Dear as Editorial Board member,u shud see how great ur editorial standards are-
~story by & https://t.co/VQL9xfMJyx is based on parody handle as chancellor.
Time ur editorial spend more energy fact-checking story than memes! pic.twitter.com/zoFCDw1fuP
In another tweet, Bhatt lambasted the newspaper and questioned, "Dear @NYTimesPR - when will you do a fact-check of this story by @CoraEngelbrecht - CC @jessewegman - unsolicited advise is that your editorial board need to focus on news business instead of activism. Your editorial board stinks like a politburo run Pravada’s editorial board!
Dear - when will you do a fact-check of this story by - CC - unsolicited advise is that your editorial board need to focus on news business instead of activism. Your editorial board stinks like a politburo run Pravada’s editorial board! https://t.co/1UyXYaUwqU
— Alok Bhatt (@alok_bhatt)The fabricated newspaper’s headline read: “Last, Best Hope of Earth”, along with the words: “World’s most loved and most powerful leader is here to bless us” written underneath. Beneath the headline is an image of Prime Minister Modi signing a book.
New York Times Communications clarifying that the image was fake, wrote, “This is a completely fabricated image. One of many in circulation featuring Prime Minister Modi. Rehearing or circulating photoshopped images online only adds to misinformation and uncertainty, at a time when truthful, trusted journalism is needed the most”. It also shared a link to all of the newspaper’s real reportage on Modi.
The photoshopped image of the paper was shared in the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi’s three-day visit to the US, where he spoke before the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, attended the quad summit and held multiple bilateral meetings. It was circulating on social media and was even retweeted by the BJP IT cell.
Bhatt questioned New York editorial team for their double standard reporting on PM Modi. Slamming the newspaper, he said, “Time ur editorial spend more energy fact-checking story than memes!”
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