A blog titled “Nostradamus and India” has been published on The Times of India (TOI) website on March 28, 2017. Francois Gautier, the author of this blog, claims to have chanced upon some hidden manuscripts according to which Nostradamus predicted that a supreme leader will be born in the state of Gujarat and his first name would be Narendrus (Narendra). Francois Gautier claims that these manuscripts were discovered in 2012. He writes:

In 2012, French scholar and Nostradamus specialist, Bamprelle de la Rochefoucault, discovered in an old trunk bought two hundred euros to an antiques dealer, old manuscripts which have been analyzed and found to be of the 15th century. There are quite a few stanzas devoted to India, which is named here as Indicus in Latin and Indes in old French.

So, in 2012, some Nostradamus specialist discovered an old trunk which had these magical pronouncements. The only problem with this claim is that in the 51st volume of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha (RSS) weekly magazine, Organiser published in 1999, it is claimed that “an old trunk” was discovered just last month by “hopeless hinduphile Francois Gautier” and according to the manuscripts, it was Nostradamus who had founded RSS 400 years ago. (ROFL)

In fact, the “old trunk” has been found at least two times in the books that Francois Gautier has himself authored according to a search on Google Books.

The “old trunk” was found in the “last month” in his 2001 book titled A Western Journalist on India and the 2003 book titled Rewriting Indian History.

In fact, Francois Gautier has discovered the “old trunk” so many times over that it is difficult to keep track. He discovered it in his 2009 blog titled “Nostradamus and Saffron”. And then again in his 2014 blog titled “Nostradamus and 2014” elections. And the latest discovery of the “old trunk” happened on March 28, 2017, on the TOI blog. In fact, every time Mr Gautier discovers this old trunk, the contents inside the trunk seem to change magically. The Nostradamus predictions coming out of this same “old trunk” vary from Nostradamus actually having founded RSS to Narendra Modi, the supreme leader of India, being born in Gujarat.

Be that as it may, let us also look at some of the passages that Mr Gautier has posted in the TOI article. One of the passages according to Mr Gautier relates to a possibility of an Indo-Pakistan nuclear war. The following is the passage quoted in the TOI article.

One of them relates to a possible Indo-Pakistani nuclear war:

Le Griffon Indes se peut aprester
Pour à l’ennemy résister,
Et renforcer bien son armée,
Autrement l’Elephant viendra
Qui d’un abord le surprendra,
Six cens et huict, mer enflammée.

“The eagle India should get ready and reinforce its army,
Otherwise the Elephant (Pakistan) will surprise her
By putting to flame its people and the sea”

As it turns out, a quick Google search is all that was needed to establish that this passage posted in TOI is a modified version and not original. The word “Indes” signifying India is not in the original passage and was a creation of Mr Gautier’s mind.

Let’s look at the next passage posted by Mr Gautier in the TOI blog.

Deux mil quatorze verra regner les Hindoos,
De ciel & terre tenir la Monarchie,
D’Asie forces nul ne verra peries,

“Hindus will reign from 2014 onwards
They will rule heaven and earth
Nobody will resist them in Asia”

Yet another quick Google search again tells us that even this passage has been modified from its original version. The original passage has the word “Hesperies” instead of “Hindoos”.

One can see how Mr Gautier’s writings are purely a figment of his imagination and has got nothing to do with reality. He takes content from one place, changes a couple of words and proclaims a new prophecy by Nostradamus, one which has been found from that same “old trunk” that he has discovered multiple times in the last 18 years. Let’s look at the next passage.

Indus supremus gudjaratus status natus est
Patrus Theus boutiqus, studium bonus est
Namusprimum narendus est

“The supreme leader of India will be born in the state of Gujarat
His father will sell tea in a shop
His first name will be narendus (Narendra)”

Now, a Google search would reveal that an equivalent of this passage is not available on the Internet, not documented anywhere, even in parts. But, Mr Gautier being Mr Gautier, he always leaves a few gaping holes. In a 2014 blog on his own website, he claims:

Next, another prophecy: “Politicus Bharatus Janatus Indicus tri pillarus est, Vajpayum, Advanum persistum est et Narendrum Modum. Vajpayum emergum est…” The BJP will have three pillars: AB Vajpayee, LK Advani and Narendra Modi. Eventually, Vajpayee will no longer have an active life, Advani will persist and Narendra Modi will be emerging.

In 2014, Nostradamus used to like to call Narendra Modi as “Narendrum Modum” and in 2017 he likes to call PM Modi as “Narendrus”. It doesn’t end there. In 2014, he claimed that Vajpayee, Advani and Modi will be the pillars. In a 2009 blog on his own website, he had claimed that AB Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi will be the three pillars. He had written, and I quote:

Next, another prophecy: “Politicus Bharatus Janatus Indicus tri pillarus est, Vajpayum, Advanum et Murlum Joshum Kashmirum drapus levus. Vajpayum maladum est…” The BJP will have three pillars: AB Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. As eventually, Vajpayee will no longer have an active life, Advani will become the leader. MM Joshi, who hoisted the Indian flag in Srinagar, will be his number two.

So, from Murli Manohor Joshi as the pillar in 2009 to Narendra Modi as the pillar in 2014 to Narendra Modi as the supreme leader of India in 2017, Mr Gautier has been conveniently changing the prophecies that come out of that “old trunk” based on the prevalent political climate. Yet, such blatant lies are given space in Indian media outlets without any verification. After the TOI blog, Zee News dutifully published this bit of ‘news’.

Soon enough, various websites will publish this utter crap as it is and share it via their social media accounts to scores of people and something that is patently false will become the reality for those who are not discernible enough. Thus, keeps rolling the fake news industry in India.

Disclaimer: The TOI article has since been pulled down.