FACT CHECK: Did Indira Gandhi Urge People Not to Buy Gold in 1967? AI-Generated The Hindu Newspaper Front Page Goes Viral

Key Points:

Social media went into a frenzy after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to hold back on gold purchases, foreign vacations etc in order to save foreign exchange reserves. This appeal came amid the ongoing tensions in Iran, which began after the USA and Israel launched a joint attack on February 28, 2026, sending the global economy off the rails. While some slammed PM Modi’s plea for lifestyle changes, others defended him.

Meanwhile, some social media users started posting an old newspaper clipping of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1967, allegedly showing her telling people not to purchase gold. The yellow front page, purportedly from The Hindu, immediately went viral on social media.

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However, it was later debunked, with claims that the newspaper cut out was nothing but an AI-generated fake disseminated on social media. The front page of The Hindu newspaper carried the headline,

The article talked about the nation being under strain to conserve foreign exchange. Calling gold imports a “heavy burden,” it stated that Indira Gandhi had appealed to people not to purchase gold, whether in the form of ornaments or otherwise.

The article’s virality caught the attention of The Hindu itself, which clarified, “A digitally altered image purporting to be a front page of The Hindu from June 6, 1967, is currently circulating on social media. We wish to clarify that this is not an authentic page from our archives. The Hindu urges readers to exercise caution and verify before sharing.”

Sharing the original newspaper front page from the same date, Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai took to X to state that the viral newspaper front page featuring Indira Gandhi was not real. He continued, “yes there were austerity measures in place and during the OIL Shock of 1973 (TOI image below) but this was an Indian economy struggling to find its feet and not one of the fastest growing economies in the world with $800 billion foreign exchange reserves it is today.”

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He concluded by saying that economic decisions taken in the present should not be based on India’s old socialist-era economy.

Ever since the advent of AI, several deepfake videos and fake AI-generated content have swarmed social media, influencing public perception on current issues. The fake Indira Gandhi article on limiting gold purchases, which surfaced after Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to people during a speech in Hyderabad, is one such example.

Historically, back in 1968, under the rule of Indira Gandhi, the Gold Control Act was enacted to reduce the demand for gold, stop gold smuggling, and protect the value of the Indian rupee. The law was later repealed in 1990.

Several users on X slammed Rajdeep Sardesai’s post, writing, “That’s why Modi asked for preventive measures. No compulsion or restrictions.” One user lashed out, “Do you understand that this is a WORLD crisis created by a few selfish nations? The impact is global, including on India. So how can you blame Modi? We are dependent on exports and imports for our economy.”

On May 10, 2026, during a speech in Hyderabad, Narendra Modi appealed to people to adopt work-from-home policies, use public transport, and reduce gold purchases for at least a year to minimise fuel consumption. However, his plea backfired after several users pointed out that he would be making international visits between May 15 and 20, 2026.

“PM Modi appealed to the countrymen to save fuel by using the metro, but after 16+ hours, the long VIP convoy was seen on the roads of Rajasthan. Is saving fuel only the responsibility of common people? BAN VVIP CULTURE,” wrote a user on X.

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