New Delhi: Ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls, a social media user shared a fake opinion poll graphic which showed that the BJP is expected to secure 26-36 seats, the Congress around 40 and the AAP around 20 in the 90-member state assembly.
PTI Fact Check found in its investigation that Republic TV-Matrix has not officially released any such opinion poll and that the social media user altered the figures from ETV Bharat's graphic and shared it.
A Facebook user shared the viral graphic with a caption stating, "We don't just participate in surveys; we come straight into power. The political understanding of the people of Haryana should not be underestimated. This is a battle for a change in power, and change never comes from an old party."
The post has been viewed over a thousand times.
To verify the claim, the desk searched for the Republic TV-Matrix opinion poll using relevant key words but found no information related to it.
During the investigation, the desk also reviewed the official social media handles of Republic TV and Matrix News Communications. Neither a similar graphic nor opinion poll for the upcoming Haryana elections conducted for Republic TV was found.
In the subsequent investigation step, the desk reverse-searched the viral graphic and discovered that it resembled a template from a report by ETV Bharat on June 1, 2024, used for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections' exit polls. The social media user altered the figures from ETV Bharat's graphic and shared it.
PTI Fact Check's investigation confirms that the viral graphic is edited. Republic TV-Matrix has not officially released any such opinion poll. The opinion poll circulating on social media is baseless. The complete fact check report can be read here - https://bit.ly/4efTC1h For fact-checking any claims or social media posts, PTI Fact Check can be contacted on WhatsApp at +91-8130503759.
Published 06 September 2024, 08:21 IST