Truth behind the viral claim that PM Modi asked women to sell gold and deposit money in banks [fact Check]

A graphic claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged women to sell their gold and deposit the money in banks is being widely circulated on social media.

The viral image, which carries the logo of Hindi daily Navbharat Times, attributes a statement to Modi that reads: "This is not the time to buy gold but this is the time for sacrifice by mothers and sisters. There is an appeal to mothers and sisters to sell gold and deposit all the money in their bank."

However, a fact-check investigation found the claim to be completely false. There is no evidence that Modi ever made such a statement in any speech, interview, public address, or official communication.

The investigation revealed that the graphic had been digitally manipulated and falsely branded with the Navbharat Times logo to make it appear authentic. Reverse searches and keyword checks did not find any credible news report carrying the alleged quote.

The claim was also debunked by PIB Fact Check, the government's official fact-checking unit, which clarified that the viral graphic is fake and that no such appeal was made by the Prime Minister.

The fact-check concluded that the image is fabricated and is being shared to mislead users into believing that Modi asked women to sell their gold and deposit the proceeds into their bank accounts. No official government announcement, policy, or statement supports the viral claim.