‘Taken in by fake news’: Shashi Tharoor clarifies after tweeting about Raghuram Rajan’s ‘appointment as Governor of the Bank of England’

Firebrand economist Raghuram Rajan, also the former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, found himself making headlines again, as fake news claiming his 'new appointment' started doing the rounds of the Internet.

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Shashi Tharoor was among those who believed the news of Raghuram Rajan’s appointment as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. (Source: File Photo)

If you are among those who came across (and believed) the news that Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has been appointed the Governor of the Bank of England, we are sorry we will have to disappoint you. The 55-year-old firebrand economist found himself making headlines again, as fake news claiming his ‘new appointment’ started doing the rounds of the Internet. A Facebook post by Satprakash Sharma on April 28, congratulating Rajan, has garnered close to 8,000 shares by now. Shashi Tharoor too, found himself believing the news as he tweeted out a report by a news portal. Rajan meanwhile, clarified to Alt News that this is fake news and that he is “happy with my current job and have not searched for, nor got, any other.”

Tharoor took to Twitter to clarify that he was “taken by the fake news” this time.

This is his first tweet, finding Rajan’s appointment “remarkable”.

Remarkable: India’s RaghuramRajan has been appointed Governor of the Bank of England! https://t.co/xdIop5Ltuv With an Indian (NasserHusain) having captained the England cricket team already, all that’s left to complete a reverse colonization is for an Indian to be Prime Minister.

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 5, 2018

These are some of the posts on Rajan ‘been appointed as Bank of England’s Governor’ doing the rounds of social media.

Raghuram Rajan appointed as Governor of Bank of England .
Another jewel ( this time gifted not stolen ) in the Crown ! #raghuramrajan

— Joey (@DrJoyeeta) May 5, 2018

Really great that Raghuram Rajan has become the governor of Bank of England!!!

— N Loganathan (@loganathan306) May 5, 2018

Raghuram Rajan appointed as The Governor of Bank of England…. when your economy is in a downward spiral everyone knows who to call, then when he pull-up the economy, sack him off. Hope they don’t do what GOI did to him.

— ajay kumar (@Aj_boop) May 5, 2018

This is Tharoor’s clarification.

Seems I was taken in by fake news too. Thanks @AltNews for setting the record straight. https://t.co/fuELbzPeiJ https://t.co/NwzUya075r

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 5, 2018

Meanwhile, a Twitter user tried to reprimand the Congress Thiruvanthapuram MP because it was ‘disturbing’ to see “how people like you fall pray to fake news and re tweet without checking the facts”. This is what Mohamed Althaf tweeted to Tharoor.

There is a difference between considered for appointment and actually appointing!Disturbed to see how people like you fall pray to fake news and re tweet without checking the facts,I am sure you can find better sources of information than Siasat

— mohamedalthaf (@mohamedalthaf) May 5, 2018

Tharoor had this to say to Althaf, in response.

You’re right. Given the amount of fake news there is out there about me, I really should have known better. Still, enjoyed a moment of post-colonial satisfaction there! https://t.co/orV82VOge8

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 5, 2018

So, were you among those who got carried away with the news of Rajan becoming the Governor of Bank of England? Well, guess what? He is one of the top contenders for the post, according to a report by The Financial Times.