{"id":3500,"date":"2022-05-16T10:23:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T10:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=3500"},"modified":"2022-05-17T07:39:50","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T07:39:50","slug":"ndtv-screenshot-on-the-hindu-reporter-taking-money-from-mr-for-publishing-article-on-ltte-resurgence-is-altered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/ndtv-screenshot-on-the-hindu-reporter-taking-money-from-mr-for-publishing-article-on-ltte-resurgence-is-altered\/","title":{"rendered":"NDTV did NOT reveal that Ex-PM gave money to \u201cThe Hindu\u201d reporter to publish about a possible LTTE attack on SL!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Few days ago, Indian newspaper \u201cThe Hindu\u201d reported about a possible LTTE attack on Sri Lanka. This news went viral in Sri Lanka with mixed reactions. In this context, a purported screenshot of NDTV online edition has been viral in social media, saying \u201cThe Hindu\u201d reporter was given money to publish this news item, by the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa. However, we were able to find out that NDTV had not published such a news item.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Media Posts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A purported NDTV screenshot has been spreading virally in WhatsApp as seen below titled \u201cEx-PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, funds the Hindu reporter to create fake news about LTTE resurgence.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the headline it is said \u201cThe conquest to control power in Sri Lanka by the Rajapaksa continues as the intelligence confirms that the Hindu reporter has been funded to create hype about the resurgence of the LTTE.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The article appears to have been extracted from AFP news agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The screenshot was shared among Facebook users as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/a> | Archived<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact Check<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We first checked about the controversial news item \u201cThe Hindu\u201d had reported about a possible LTTE attack on Sri Lanka on May 18, to mark the Mullivaikal anniversary day<\/a> (the day on which the civil war in Sri Lanka ended in 2009) and possible resurgence of LTTE cadres. The report was claimed to be based on warning of \u201cIntelligence agencies\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Hindu<\/a>| Archived<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However , several Sri Lankan politicians questioned the timing of this article, less than a week after the former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa had vacated the office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bimal Rathnayake<\/a> | Mano Ganesan<\/a> | Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, Sri Lanka\u2019s Ministry of Defence on Saturday strongly denied reports of ex-LTTE cadre<\/a> \u201cregrouping to launch attacks\u201d in Sri Lanka, as reported by The Hindu, citing sources in Indian intelligence. Here<\/a> is the \u201cThe Hindu\u201d article on the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is the press release from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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News.lk<\/a> | Archived<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, we searched on NDTV World News section<\/a> whether such an article of \u201cThe Hindu\u201d reporter being sponsored by the former PM, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had been published. We couldn\u2019t find such news published on NDTV online edition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they published a news item using the same image a few days ago on the 12th<\/sup> of May. That particular news was about Sri Lanka`s court  decision to avoid MR and some of his allies from Sri Lanka, and can be read here<\/a>. Archived<\/a> .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is an image comparison between real news and edited screenshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From above two images, we can clearly detect that the title font style of real news of NDTV is clearly different from that of the edited screenshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another glaring error in the edited screenshot is the publishing time of the NDTV article, which is cited as 10.36 PM on 15th<\/sup> of May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Yet, the viral screenshot had been doing rounds, a few hours before 10.36pm from 15th<\/sup> May afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is the response from former NDTV CEO, Suparna Singh, denying the viral screenshot as \u201cfake news\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FAKE news. pic.twitter.com\/4aqXkGeFOU<\/a><\/p>— Suparna Singh (@Suparna_Singh) May 15, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>