New Delhi (NVI): A lot of misinformation is circulating on social media, as the Indian government is preparing a mega evacuation plan to bring back around 14,800 Indian nationals stranded in 12 countries from May 7.
A message with links to Google forms or docs titled ‘Rescue Flights From India’ for Indians stranded abroad is doing rounds on social media, especially messaging app WhatsApp. The message asks people to click on some links if they want themselves to be registered for the evacuation process from countries like Canada, US Australia.
Taking note of the message being widely circulated on WhatsApp, the Fact Check unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that the Central Government has not issued any Google forms tilted ‘Rescue flights from India’, for stranded Indians abroad.
PIB, through its special Fact Check Twitter handle informed that no such forms have been circulated by the Centre and advised not to click on these links and to register only through the official Embassy website.
PIB tweeted: “Claim: A WhatsApp message is circulating with links to Google Forms titled ‘RESCUE FLIGHTS FROM INDIA’, for stranded Indians.
#PIBFactCheck: Indian Govt has not issued any such forms. It’s advised not to click on these links & to register only through the official Embassy website.”
Claim:A whatsapp message is circulating with links to Google Forms titled ‘RESCUE FLIGHTS FROM INDIA’, for stranded Indians.#PIBFactCheck: Indian Govt has not issued any such forms. It’s advised not to click on these links & to register only through the official Embassy website pic.twitter.com/ZEjtxhzqMq
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 5, 2020
As per the SOPs issued by the MHA yesterday, to bring back stranded Indians nationals from abroad, all such persons will register themselves with the Indian Missions in the country where they are stranded, along with necessary details as prescribed by MEA.
