Debunking a widespread rumour, the Indian government said that the proximity of the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi to the green-colored line on a Rs. 500 currency note does not denote if the note is authentic or fake.

Dispelling the claim on Twitter, the official handle of the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check said, “It is being claimed in a message that the Rs. 500 note in which the green stripe is not near the RBI governor’s signature but near the picture of Gandhi ji is fake. This assertion is false.”

“#PIB Fact Check. This claim is #Fake. According to RBI, both types of notes are valid,” read the tweet.

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The tweet contains an image of two Rs. 500 notes with a red label on the bottom right that reads fake in Hindi.

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The fact-checking account also inserted a link to a document issued by the Reserve Bank of India that provides in-depth knowledge and intricate details of a Rs. 500 note. 

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“The new Rs. 500 notes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series are different from the present series in colour, size, theme, location of security features and design elements. The size of the new note is 66mm x 150mm. The colour of the notes is stone grey and the predominant new theme is the Indian heritage site – Red Fort,” the document reads. 

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It also comprises 17 bullet points that contain information on logos, motifs, numerals and special inscriptions printed on the note. The document also talks about a special feature on the currency note for the visually impaired. 

It further reveals that the Red Fort motif on the reverse symbolizes India’s rich cultural and historic heritage.