NEW DELHI: As India begins one of the biggest rescue operation ‘Vande Bharat’ for Indians stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic, several instances of fake news are doing the rounds on social media.
One such fake video was rebutted by PIB Fact Check on its official Twitter handle. It said “a video on social media showing passengers on purported Air India overseas flight arguing over being charged thrice the normal fare and then packed in, without social distancing is fake.”
“The fact is MoCA_GoI says it is from a neighbouring country’s airlines,” it tweeted. PIB Fact Check is the official Twitter handle that counters misinformation on government policies and schemes. Under the Vande Bharat rescue mission, more than 190,000 Indian nationals, who would have to pay a one-way ferry service charge, are expected to be brought back in the airlift operation. The exercise will encompass flights from the US in the West to Philippines in the East.
As per plans, two airlines – Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express – will operate 64 flights in seven days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries from May 7-13.