Skip to main content

Ripple around #Top10Criminals on twitter as Google search shows Modi as one of world's top ten criminals

By A Representative
It was “trending” on twitter at the very top on Wednesday for the whole day: Comments for and against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a virtual non-issue: A Google image search “top 10 criminals” leads one find that Modi appears once but twice as one of the top dozen criminals!
Every minute, tens of tweets poured in for the whole day on Wednesday, with some of them saying that it was “shameful” for a top search engine to put Modi as one of the top ten criminals in the world, while others commenting, “World knows it now”!
Interestingly, tweeting continued to bombard, with #Top10Criminals becoming the top trending event for most of the day. One of tweeters, Shekhar@MangoBwoy said, “True Modi being criminal is a private matter of BJP why Google meddling”. Sounding neutral, the twitteratti quoted from what appeared to be the Google explanation on the “top 10 criminals”, which said, “Sometimes Google search results from the internet can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries.”
Google has been further quoted as saying, “We assure you that the views expressed on by such sites are in no way endorsed by Google”. The California based company explains “Top 10 Criminals” with Modi appearing twice in the image section as follows: “Search results rely on computer algorithms that take into account thousand of factors.”
Google adds, “The beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google, as well the opinions of the general public, do not determine or impact our search results.” And since the “integrity of its search results is extremely important… accordingly, we not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it.”
Meanwhile, a top media group claimed, Google faced the “wrath of thousands of Modi fans on Wednesday on Twitter for it search results on 'Top 10 criminals'”, adding, “#Top10Criminals was trending on twitter because a search result for the same on Google threw up pictures of several Indians. And one of them is none other than Modi.” It noted, Modi’s picture appears, “not once, not twice, but thrice in the first 12 images.”
Others who secured a place in Google's “Top 10 criminals” search results in the images section included Osama Bin Laden, Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, Sanjay Dutt, American serial killer Ariel Castro, and so on. One also finds pictures of and Indian-American gay couple, Shannon and Seema, who got married in 2013. There is also the surprise picture of celebrated actress Sonakshi Sinha for being a “fashion criminal”!
While circles close to Modi, including the Prime Minister’s Office, did not immediately react, some twitteratti demanded an apology from Google, others wanted the Prime Minister’s name to out of the list, while still others took potshots at Modi. In an interesting tweet, @KejriwalFanClub said, “Hey @google PM Modi listed in #Top10Criminals list, also include Amit Shah on it. Without Amit Shah #Top10Criminals list is incomplete.”

Comments

TRENDING

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative   At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

The myth of population decline: India’s real challenge is density, not fertility

By N.S. Venkataraman*   India’s population in 2025 stands at approximately 1.4 billion. In 1950, it was 359 million, rising sharply to 1.05 billion by 2000. The population continues to grow and is projected to reach around 1.7 billion by 2050.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

A matter of deep concern: The silent struggles of India's visually impaired women

By N.S. Venkataraman  Visual impairment is one of the most severe forms of physical disability that afflicts humanity, and its impact is even more acute when it affects women. The burden becomes overwhelming when visually impaired women also belong to economically weaker sections of society, with little or no financial or institutional support. Their struggle for dignity, survival, and identity is often invisible—hidden in plain sight across cities and rural corners alike. And yet, these women form a large, neglected segment of society not just in India, but around the world. In India, governmental assistance to visually impaired persons exists but remains minimal. While policies are framed with good intent, they often fall short in implementation. More importantly, no real distinction is made between the unique challenges faced by visually impaired men and women. This gender-blind approach to disability support overlooks the compounded social vulnerabilities that women face due to...