Did Modi’s Rs 500 muffler really sell for Rs 11 crore?
About the auction of gifts received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is being claimed on social media that a muffler of Rs. 500 has been sold for Rs 11 crore, and the amount has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
Hundreds of Facebook and Twitter users posted some photos and videos with the same claim that Narendra Modi has been called the Great Man. This message is also frequently shared on the WhatsApp.
However, some people wrote to the BBC to find out the truth of the news.
It is true that the 2772 gifts received by the Prime Minister have been exhibited in New Delhi during the last year and are being auctioned through the Internet.
The exhibition was inaugurated on September 14 by Union Minister of Culture, Halad Singh Patel.
He said that the gifts include art, shawls, sculptures, instruments and music and costumes, which have been priced between Rs. Can bid.
But the Minister of Culture has falsified the rumors circulating on social media that Narendra Modi has been sold for Rs 500 crores for Rs 11 crore. He said that none of the gifts have been sold for Rs 11 crore so far.
Regarding the fact that the money was donated to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, Press Information Bureau DG Arun Jain told the BBC that only Indian citizens were involved in the auction of these gifts according to the rules or regulations of the Ministry of Culture. And the auction is delivered only within India.
He said that according to the rules, any funds raised by the auction will be used only under a program to clean the river Ganges.
Therefore, rumors that the auction proceeds will be credited to the Prime Minister’s Fund are also incorrect.
According to the official website pmmementos.gov.in, the most expensive gift sold through auction till September 16, 2019, was a silver jar, valued at Rs. The money was given by the Gujarat Chief Minister to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Culture had priced it at eighteen thousand rupees.
The current auction has cost the prime muffler Rs 60,000, which is the largest bid of the muffler ever.
Government officials believe the bid could go ahead now because the auction will run until October.