Indian journalists are facing widespread ridicule for indulging in ‘copy paste’ journalism on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unscheduled visit to Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib on Sunday morning. PM Modi’s visit to pay tributes to Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur came amidst raging protests by farmers against the three Farm Laws. A significantly large number of those protesting at Delhi borders are Sikh farmers from Punjab.
Several journalists on Sunday morning began to post identical news flash on PM Modi’s visit to the Delhi gurudwara. According to their messages (see below), the prime minister made a surprise visit to ‘Gurudwara Rakabjung’ and ‘there was also no police bandobast or traffic barriers to the common man during this visit.’ This was to portray PM Modi’s simplicity and how he cared about people’s convenience.
Today PM @narendramodi went to Gurudwara Rakabjung. He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur for his supreme sacrifice. PM made a sudden visit , there was no security protocol or bandobast ..
— Naveen Kapoor ANI (@IamNaveenKapoor) December 20, 2020
This morning, in a sudden visit, @PMOIndia went & bowed his head at Gurudwara Rakabjung. He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur for his supreme sacrifice…No police bandobast or traffic barriers to the common man during this visit of @narendramodi
— Payal Mehta/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) December 20, 2020
Today morning, in a sudden visit, PM @narendramodi went & bowed his head at #Gurudwara Rakabjung. He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur for his supreme sacrifice. There was also no police bandobast or traffic barriers to the common man during this visit.
— Amitabh Sinha (@amitabhnews18) December 20, 2020
Today PM @narendramodi went & bowed his head at Gurudwara Rakabjung. He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur for his supreme sacrifice pic.twitter.com/E4h4nAzYsD
— Vikas Bhadauria (ABP News) (@vikasbha) December 20, 2020
PM Sri @narendramodi ji visited Gurudwara Rakabjung early morning today, without any special arrangements just like a common man.
He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur ji for his supreme sacrifice.#RespectstoGurus pic.twitter.com/CHIex1l9fI
— S. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (@SVishnuReddy) December 20, 2020
However, little did these journalists realise that the name of the gurudwara was spelled wrongly. Instead of Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, all of them had chosen to publish it as Gurudwara Rakabjung. This prompted many to conclude that journalists had merely indulged in copying the message sent from the BJP IT Cell to share it widely using their social media pages.
As expected, they began to face widespread ridicule from netizens.
Today morning, in a sudden visit, PM Modi went & bowed his head at Gurudwara Rakabjung. He paid tributes to Guru TegBahadur for his supreme sacrifice. There was also no police bandobast or traffic barriers to the common man during this visit. Rs.2 credited to my account instantly
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0? (@RoflGandhi_) December 20, 2020
#FarmActsAreUnconstitutional
Dictation journalists didn’t even bother to check whether it is Rakabjung Gurudwara or Rakab ganj Gurudwara. #FarmActsAreUnconstitutional pic.twitter.com/H2AYQN88hF— Sneha (@sneha_garg22) December 20, 2020
#prepaidmedia stooges don’t worry about the reality whether it’s #RakabGanjSahib
Or rakabjung,
they are happy, unworried till they remain lapdog and get paid back to back. https://t.co/fRz8HvWNov— Sir Parvez A. करुणा ™ (@parvez_ameer) December 20, 2020
Reason why news desks exist
It’s Rakabganj, not Rakabjung.. but ??♂️ pic.twitter.com/rNSSTMAJv9
— Ashish (@AshishXL) December 20, 2020
Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting at the Delhi-Haryana border demanding the withdrawal of three Farm Laws passed by the government. PM Modi has defended the laws saying this will help boost the incomes of farmers.
