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PM Modi beats Trump, has largest number of fake followers among leaders in TwitterAudit list

Published

8 years ago

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Trump sacks Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the dubious distinction of having the largest number of fake Twitter followers, ahead of US President Donald Trump, among some of the leading personalities of the world named in a list doing the rounds on social media.

Moreover, the number of his fake followers far outnumber the genuine ones: 24,799,527 fake followers against 16,191,426 real ones, according to ‘TwitterAudit’ that claims to identify whether followers of an individual are fake or genuine.

It would perhaps be pertinent to add that among the ‘genuine followers’ of the PM are a large number who regularly troll people who say anything unpalatable to BJP or Hindutva adherents, attacking them with violent and vulgar posts. PM Modi, as fake news buster Alt News has regularly pointed out, also follows a number of them.

On its website, TwitterAudit, which declares it has been exposing Twitter frauds since 2012, explains how it does its ‘audit’: “Each audit takes a sample of up to 5000 (or more, if you subscribe to Pro) Twitter followers for a user and calculates a score for each follower. This score is based on number of tweets, date of the last tweet, and ratio of followers to friends. We use these scores to determine whether any given user is real or fake. Of course, this scoring method is not perfect but it is a good way to tell if someone with lots of followers is likely to have increased their follower count by inorganic, fraudulent, or dishonest means.”

The list that has evoked a huge response on Twitter was actually prepared three weeks ago, on February 21, is an infographic prepared by Alex Kliment, director of Eurasia Group. The infographic, as determined by TwitterAudit, reveals that numbers of followers related to the accounts of some of the worlds’ top leaders are fake.

It lists Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump as well as Pope Francis — top three of the world’s most-followed leaders on Twitter.

While a 2017 blog on twiplomacy.com had rated Narendra Modi as the third-most followed global leader on Twitter with 30,058, 659 followers, said news portal News Laundry, this infographic reveals that Modi has the highest number of fake followers. Of the users following @narendramodi, 60 per cent are fake, the infographic reveals.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Of those following Pope Francis, 59 per cent are fake and 37 per cent of Trump’s followers are fake.

The infographic and the numbers were noticed by social media users only now, but it has started getting reactions with many social media users and members of Congress party taking a jibe at PM Modi.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla’s mother injured in hit-and-run incident in Pune

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Published

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Shehzad Punawalla

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has claimed that his mother was seriously injured after being struck by a car in an alleged hit-and-run incident in Pune. The accused reportedly fled the spot after the incident, leaving her critically injured.

According to Poonawalla, the incident occurred a few hours earlier and his mother is scheduled to undergo surgery. He appealed to authorities to identify and arrest the person responsible at the earliest.

Sharing details on social media, Poonawalla said an unidentified individual ran a car over his mother and escaped from the scene. He requested prayers for her recovery and expressed anguish over the incident, describing his mother as a compassionate person whose injury had deeply shaken him.

He also tagged Pune City Police, senior police officials, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging strict legal action against the accused and ensuring that the person does not evade accountability.

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In a related development, Poonawalla’s brother and political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla shared CCTV footage on social media that allegedly shows the moment their mother was hit by the vehicle.

Tehseen stated that his mother, a senior citizen, had stepped out of the car while it was being refuelled when the incident occurred. He alleged that the act appeared deliberate and said efforts were underway to identify the vehicle involved.

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Providing an update on her medical condition, Tehseen said their mother had suffered a fractured hip and would require surgical intervention. She has been admitted to hospital and doctors are monitoring her vitals ahead of surgery.

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The incident occurred at Bharat City, a residential township in Ghaziabad, at around 2 am on Wednesday. The girls were found dead at the spot.

The sisters have been identified as Pakhi, aged 12, Prachi, 14, and Vishika, 16.

According to police, the three siblings were extremely close and spent most of their time together. They reportedly followed the same daily routine, including bathing, eating, attending school, and sleeping together.

Preliminary findings suggest the girls had become addicted to online gaming during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were reportedly playing an online task-based game referred to as a ‘Korean love game’. Police also said the sisters were not attending school regularly.

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The US had imposed steep tariffs of up to 50% on Indian goods last year, which significantly raised landed costs and squeezed exporter margins. Several sectors, including steel, aluminium, textiles, engineering goods and certain agricultural products, were affected as US buyers diverted orders to other suppliers.

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Investor sentiment had weakened as well, with foreign investors pulling out nearly USD 14 billion in equities since July 2025.

The rollback of the additional 25% punitive tariff linked to Russian oil purchases effectively lowers the applied tariff on Indian exports from 50% to 18%, offering significant relief to exporters and improving prospects for a recovery in trade flows.

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