Telegram is neither Indian nor a Modi initiative; WhatsApp users cry foul

 

A number of smartphone users of Lucknow were in fix after receiving a message urging to boycott the American messenger service, WhatsApp and instead chose Telegram, the ‘first Indian social media application’. Later they found that it was a fake message and there was nothing Indian about the suggested messaging application. 

The message even bulldozed into the user’s emotions by urging to chose the Indian application and by doing so, be part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ mission. 

"PM Modi ne naara diya hai 'Make in India'. Aaiye pehel karen, American Whatsapp ki jagah 'Telegram' ko apnayein. Akhir ye pehla bharatiya social media app hai,” read the message sent on users’ WhatsApp. 

“One has to pay Rs 56 yearly for WhatsApp and there are around 20 Crore WhatsApp users in India. Quitting the application will save Rs 1,120 Crore from going out of the country. If the Chinese can boycott it and opt their application WeChat, then why can’t us,” the message further said. 

Surprisingly the message was taken seriously some users, who downloaded the application-Telegram only to be shocked that that the message was fake. 

“I downloaded Telegram immediately after getting the message. The Prime Minister’s call is for the right cause. Why promote an American application,” said Ashish Shukla, one of the victims. To his utter amazement, Shukla realized that there was nothing Indian about Telegram. In fact, Shukla said, Telegram was launched in 2013 by the Nikolai and Pavel Durov], of VK (social network), Russia's largest social network.