PM Modi's recent talk with Akshay Kumar has sent social media buzzing. People like Dhruv Rathee and Alt News co-founder Md. Zubair (@zoo_bear) has accused PM Modi of lying about washing his own clothes.

While talking to Akshay Kumar PM Modi had said that he used to wash his clothes himself till he became CM of Gujarat. You can watch a short clip of his talk here:

Video Credit: Piyush Goyal

Dhruv Rathee who is known for spreading misinformation on social media tweeted "Unbelievable! Here we go again.. Yet another thing that Modi lied about and FAKED? This Fekuness is getting out of hand!" He attached a screenshot of a report by Indian Express to claim that PM Modi had a washerman in 1970 when PM Modi was living in Godhara in 1970s.

The co-founder of Alt News, Md. Zubair tweeted:

"I used to wash my clothes myself till I became CM" - Narendra Modi

"Modi’s laundry man for a decade in 1970s, when Modi lived in Godhra as an RSS pracharak" @IndianExpress

An online news portal NewsCentral24*7 published an article to claim that PM Modi lied about washing his own clothes. The portal tweeted the article with a caption "Another Modi Lie Caught: This Time About How He Washed His Own Clothes A 2017 Indian Express article reports the death of Chand Mohammad Dhobi who was Modi's washerman in the 1970s."

Misleading claims

As per an article of Times of India dated May 13, 2014, The washerman Chand Abdul Salam Dhobi used to iron Modi's clothes when he stayed in Godhra in the 1970s as a RSS pracharak. 

Most of the people who have accused PM Modi of lying has shared an article by Indian Express. While the title of the article reads "Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s washerman from 1970s dies in Godhra", the content of the article tells a different story.

Quoting a paragraph of that article:

Locals say Chand ran Yaadgar laundry in the Kajiwad area of Godhra in the 1970s, when Modi often visited the town and stayed in a small house near Chand’s shop. Locals say Modi often spent time talking to Chand during his days as a pracharak, while the latter put his clothes in order. 

The above two reports about Chand Abdul Salam Dhobi doesn't contradict PM Modi's claim that he used to wash his clothes by himself. As per these articles, he used to iron PM Modi's clothes during his stay in Godhara.

Conclusion: Dhruv Rathee, Alt News' co-founder Md. Zubair and News Central have falsely accused PM Modi of lying that he used to wash his clothes on his own. The famous laundryman used to iron PM Modi's clothes. 

Update

Md Zubair has pointed out to us that three more articles by AAJ Tak, Times of India and NDTV have also claimed that Chand Abdul Salam Dhobi used to wash PM Modi's clothes.

TOI's article: Md. Zubair has shared the screenshot of the first paragraph in which TOI has called Chand Abdul as his washerman. However, Md. Zubair forgot to read the article beyond the first paragraph. Another paragraph in the TOI's article has clearly mentioned that the washerman used to iron Modi's clothes. Nowhere in the article, it is mentioned that he used to wash his clothes.

Perhaps, Md Zubair didn't read our article, because we have given reference to the same TOI's article to claim that Chand Abdul used to iron PM Modi's clothes.

All these people (Zubair, Dhruv Rathee and NewsCentral 24X7) have given the reference of an article by Indian Express which doesn't claim that the washerman used to clean Modi's clothes. 

Our claim was based on these two articles by TOI and Indian Express.

Does washerman, laundryman only mean someone who washes clothes?

In general, a shop takes orders for washing clothes and ironing. Such shops are managed by Dhobi (laundryman, washerman). Let's say if Mr. X gets his clothes ironed from the laundryman Y's shop but he washes his clothes himself. Then Y will be called as X's laundryman or washerman or Dhobi. This is because there is no separate term for someone who does only ironing.

Hence, the usage of the term washerman by TOI and The Indian Express is not wrong.

Aaj Tak: Another screenshot shared by Md Zubair is a report by Aaj Tak in which they have described Chand Abdul as "PM Modi ke kapde dhone wale" (PM Modi's washerman or some who washed PM Modi's clothes) in the first paragraph and summary. Here again, Zubair failed to read the article beyond the first paragraph.

Another paragraph in the article has clearly mentioned that Chand used to iron clothes in the 1970s. The article is clearly not consistent and is not making clear whether Chand used to wash the clothes of Modi as well as ironing or only washing or ironing. 

NDTV: The article does claim that Chandbhai washed clothes for Mr. Modi.

So, the claims of Md Zubair, Dhruv Rathee and NewsCentral 24X7 are backed only by NDTV's report. Aaj Tak's report is ruled out due to being ambiguous while the article by Times of India contradicts their claim.

The Indian Express' article should settle the debate 

Indian Express has quoted locals as saying Modi often spent time talking to Chand during his days as a pracharak, while the latter put his clothes in order (means ironing clothes).

The Indian Express has quoted few locals while there is no reference in rest of the articles in the discussion, we will consider Indian Express' report as more authentic which points that Chand used to iron the clothes of PM Modi.

As of now, there is no solid evidence available online which can prove PM Modi's claim that he used to wash his clothes himself false.