Social media platforms are filled with misinformation related to COVID-19 that is increasing panic and fear among the common man. On the 24th of March 2020 PM Modi announced a complete lockdown in India for the next 21 days in order to contain the spread of the Coronavirus disease. A viral screenshot of a news bulletin claims that Modi has announced that the current lockdown has been extended till 4th May 2020.
Fact Check-
We started our investigation by using a simple keyword search on Google to find relevant press release or media reports about the extension, from the result we found that no such extension has been announced by PM Narendra Modi or the government. There is no press release, media briefing or media report supporting the viral claim.
Next, we saw that the viral screenshot of the news bulletin belongs to India Today. We started searching for the bulleting with a simple keyword search on YouTube. From the results we found the original live telecast of the video by India Today on 24th March 2020. In the video PM Modi addresses the nation on 24th March 2020, where he announced the 21-day lockdown from 25th March 2020. The announcement by PM Modi does not mention anything about the lockdown being extended till 4th May 2020. The video shows a live telecast of PM Modi’s address to the nation where he announced the 21 day lockdown.
Thus, it is understood that the viral screenshot is digitally edited to mislead people and create panic among the common man. Below you can see an image comparison between the viral edited image and the screenshot of the original video.
We also came across a tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services who got in touch with the Cabinet Secretary and clarified that “The Cabinet Secretary expressed surprise & said that there is no such plan of extending the lockdown.”
Conclusion- Fact Crescendo has found the above mentioned post to be False. As of today PM Modi has not announced an extension of the nationwide lockdown till 4th May 2020. The image in circulation is digitally edited to mislead people.
Title:No announcement of lockdown extension till 4th May 2020 has been made on 2nd April 2020 !
Fact Check By: Aavya RayResult: False
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