Source : INDIATV NEWS
The bank account mentioned in the viral post on social media is from 2016, which is for helping the families of martyred soldiers. It has no connection with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar or any new government scheme.
A message about a bank account is going viral on social media, urging people to donate Rs 1 per day. It is being claimed that the Narendra Modi government recently opened this account during a cabinet meeting, based on a suggestion by Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar, to support the modernisation of the Indian Army and assist soldiers who are injured or martyred in war. However, the truth is that no such cabinet meeting has taken place recently, nor has any such decision been made. The viral post also claims that the fund will be used to purchase weapons for the Army and paramilitary forces.
What does the ‘viral post’ say?
The viral message reads, “Another great decision by the Modi government on superstar Akshay Kumar’s suggestion- just Rs 1 per day, and that too for the Indian Army. Yesterday, the Modi government opened a bank account during the cabinet meeting for the Indian Army and soldiers injured or martyred in war zones. Every Indian can donate any amount starting from Rs 1 to an unlimited amount. This money will also be used to buy weapons for the Army and paramilitary forces.”
The post further claims that if 70 per cent of India’s 1.3 billion population donates Rs 1 daily, the total would be Rs 100 crore per day, Rs 3,000 crore in 30 days, and Rs 36,000 crore in a year- more than Pakistan’s annual defence budget. The message also includes Canara Bank account details and urges people to widely share the message, ending with slogans like ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Vande Mataram’.
What is the truth behind this claim?
During the verification of this viral claim, a tweet dated September 2, 2016, from the official Twitter handle of the Indian Army was found. It clearly stated that the viral bank account is for the “Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualty”. This account was created by the government to assist the families of soldiers injured or martyred in war. Additionally, a government press release from October 17, 2016, also confirmed the existence of this bank account. This account was not opened recently, nor was it created to purchase weapons.
It is worth noting that Syndicate Bank and Canara Bank merged and now function as a single entity. This merger took effect on April 1, 2020, when Syndicate Bank became a branch of Canara Bank. That’s why the Indian Army’s tweet refers to the bank as Syndicate Bank.
Viral claim is completely misleading
The viral claim is completely misleading. This post has been circulating on social media for a long time under various false narratives. It has already been debunked several times. The bank account was opened years ago by the government to help the families of soldiers, and it has nothing to do with actor Akshay Kumar or any recent government decision. People are advised not to believe or share such misleading information. Always verify the facts before sharing, and use only official channels to support the armed forces.
