Remember in June how a tweet by billiards and snooker champion Pankaj Advani had sent social media users on fire after he congratulated Narendra Modi for being declared the ‘Best Prime Minister’ by Unesco.
Of course the news was the handiwork of Modi supporters, also known as bhakts. Unesco is never in the business of giving best prime minister awards to anyone, let alone India’s Narendra Modi.
Now, Modi’s office too has admitted that the rumour was nothing more than a hoax.
In an RTI reply to an Ahmedabad-based activist, the PMO has denied Modi ever been conferred the title of ‘Best Prime Minister’ in the world.
The activist, wishing to be anonymous, had asked in his request, “I am very happy that our PM is BEST PM OF the WORLD. Please Provide the following information.
(1) Please provide the Photo Copy of Certificate received from UNSECO regarding BEST PM OF the WORLD.
(2) Pease Provide the Date on which Current Honorable Prime Minister declared as the BEST PM OF the WORLD by UNESCO.
(3) Please Provide the official Web link Publish by PMO regarding BEST PM OF the WORLD by UNESCO. (sic)”
In its reply, Praveen Kumar, Under Secretary, Central Public Information Officer, said, “In continuation of this office’s letter of even no. dated 20.07.2016, in response to your application (51818) dated 20.06.2016, it is informed that no such information is available on record.”