PM Narendra Modi does not want to miss any opportunity to appeal to the people to go digital as early as possible. Addressing a public meet in UP's Moradabad the other day, Modi urged people to speed up India's evolution into a cashless economy, the latest proclaimed aim of the demonetization of high-value currency notes.
Citing a viral video, Modi made a point that even beggars were using swiping machines of late.
“I don’t know how far it is true but there is a video going viral on Whatsapp of a beggar being told by a man that though he wanted to help, he does not have change,” Modi said at a BJP rally in Moradabad on Saturday. “The beggar asks him not to worry and takes out a swipe machine and asks for his debit card,” Modi told a cheering crowd.
Admitting that he couldn’t ascertain the veracity of the video, the PM said what he meant to say was that Indians do not waste time in accepting change.
Now it emerges that the apparent video Modi referred to was actually uploaded two years ago, in January 2014.
In the video, a beggar is shown seeking alms from a woman driver when her car is waiting for the green signal. When she says she does not have change, the beggar brings out a swipe machine leaving the woman laughing.
The video which was apparently shot purposefully with a pre-written script was uploaded by a YouTube channel called Numerographic. Funny and cute rotweiller compilations, weird tattoos in weird places, and top 10 world’s best nude beaches are among their popular videos.