Two days after his “cloud cover” comment on Balakot airstrike invited criticism and ridicule on social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was back in the rounds for claiming that he used digital camera and email in 1987-88.

The PM had in an interview to News Nation said that he thought the cloud cover on the day Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp in Balakot on 26 February will prevent Pakistani radars from detecting the Indian jets.

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Now, a new clip from the same interview has left social media users bewildered.

In that clip, the PM is seen telling the interviewers that he was “probably the first person in India to use a digital camera in 1987-88”.

“Around 1987-88, I was probably the first person to use digital camera in the country. Very few had email at the time. There was an Advani rally at Viramgam Tehsil. At that time the digital camera used to be this big (motions with his hands). I had a digital camera. I took a photo of Advani-ji and transmitted it to Delhi. A colour photo was printed. Advani-ji was surprised and said how did my colour photo appear today?” he said.

The PM was responding to a question on his fondness for gadgets. Reports say that besides claiming to have used digital camera and email three decades ago, the PM also said that he had started using the ‘Stylus pen’ way back in the 1990s.

Social media reacts

Twitter users, including many prominent names, criticised and derided the PM for his claim.

“Any guesses as to what @narendramodi email id was in 1988? dud@lol.com is my guess,” wrote Congress leader Divya Spandana.

Any guesses as to what @narendramodi email id was in 1988?
dud@lol.com is my guess https://t.co/iVnSHtGsIn

— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) May 12, 2019

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that “PM who’ll literally say ANYTHING that comes to his mind can’t possibly be trusted with our national security”.

“@PMOIndia ke paas batwa nahi tha (kyunki paise nahi the!) lekin 1988 mein digital camera aur email tha? All of this would be really funny if it weren’t so embarrassing. A PM who’ll literally say ANYTHING that comes to his mind can’t possibly be trusted with our national security,” he tweeted.

@PMOIndia ke paas batwa nahi tha (kyunki paise nahi the!) lekin 1988 mein digital camera aur email tha?

All of this would be really funny if it weren’t so embarrassing. A PM who’ll literally say ANYTHING that comes to his mind can’t possibly be trusted with our national security https://t.co/pmoGNQQtHi

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 12, 2019

Rupa Subramanya, an economist, said, “In 1988, even in the developed west, email was available to a few academics and scientists but Modi somehow used it in 1988 in India before it was officially introduced to the rest of us in 1995.”

In 1988, even in the developed west, email was available to a few academics and scientists but Modi somehow used it in 1988 in India before it was officially introduced to the rest of us in 1995. 😳 https://t.co/cq3nhRLEQJ

— Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) May 12, 2019

Salman Soz recalled when AOL started providing internet service in the US and said that the PM’s gaffe is “embarrassing for India”.

“I went to the US in 1993. AOL was the dominant player. It started as an internet service provider in early 90s. We used to go to university to use email (DOS based). 1988? This is so embarrassing for India. #Feku,” he tweeted.

I went to the US in 1993. AOL was the dominant player. It started as an internet service provider in early 90s. We used to go to university to use email (DOS based). 1988? This is so embarrassing for India. #Feku https://t.co/KQfdYGGmmG

— Salman Anees Soz (@SalmanSoz) May 12, 2019

Others pointed out that internet started in India in 1995.

Internet in India was made publicly available in 1995 by VSNL but Modi was sending emails in 1987

Oh, and he was sooo poor that he owned a digital camera in 1987; most of the households purchased it 20 yrs later

Modi is the biggest embarrassment for India! pic.twitter.com/gYDuuCVvxJ

— Gaurav Pandhi गौरव पांधी (@GauravPandhi) May 13, 2019

American defence department Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANet) was the first to use email system in 1973. Commercial use of email started only in 1990s when ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in the US started offering the service to masses.

Fuji’s DS-X was the first commercial portable model digital camera. It was sold in Japan in late 1989.