Who Is The Woman Standing With PM Modi In Awas Yojana Advertisement?

Woman Standing With PM Modi: An advertisement was printed twice on February 14 and 25, which featured a woman standing with PM Modi.

In the advertisement the beaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood with the woman, who according to the advertisement had gotten a roof over her head due to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

The advertisement also stated that 24 lakh families had become “atmanirbhar”, meaning self-sufficient due to the scheme. Laxmi Devi, the 48-year-old woman standing with PM Modi in the advertisement lives in Kolkata and states that none of the claims in the advertisement are true.

Brut India met with the Laxmi Devi to see whether or not the advertisement was true. Devi revealed that they did not receive any house under any government scheme.

Who Is The Woman Standing With PM Modi?

1. While Laxmi Devi is the woman in the picture, she revealed that none of the claims in the advertisement is true. She confirmed that “I didn't get a house under this scheme… I live in a rented house and pay Rs 500 per month."
2. The rented house Devi lives in is shared with her sons, and their wives and children. Living in a congested house means that she often sleeps on the footpath outside.
3. Devi’s primary source of income comes from sweeping a park close to her home. For this, she is paid Rs 500 per month.
4. She clarified that while she did not remember when the picture was taken, she believed it had been during the Babughat Gangasagar Mela, where she was stationed to clean toilets for ten days.
5. With regards to welfare schemes, Devi added that she had received Rs 1,500 for three months from the Modi government during the lockdown.
6. The advertisement was featured in the front pages of newspapers such as Prabhat Khabar and
7. Devi and her family found out about the advertisement when neighbours asked informed them about the advertisement.
8. Devi’s son Rahul Prasad stated that they did not receive any home nor any benefits. He also added that the advertisement could have been a mistake if it had been printed only once, but it had been printed twice.

Feature Image Credit: Newslaundry