Mllions of Indians across the country switched off lights at their homes and lit candles, diyas or turned on mobile phone torches at 9 pm on Sunday, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to show nation’s “collective resolve and solidarity” in its fight against coronavirus.
This is the second time Modi has sought to rally people amid the ongoing lockdown to combat the pandemic, which has claimed more than 65,600 lives globally and inflicted over 12 lakh people.
COVID-19, the disease caused by a coronavirus, has affected more than 3000 people across the country and left close to 100 dead. India is under a 21-day lockdown announced by PM Modi in his address to the nation on March 24.
The lockdown, which has impacted the economy, is important to break the cycle of infection, the Prime Minister has said in his address. He also apologised to the people for the trouble but said he knows they will forgive him because this is the right thing to do.
In India, the government has so far maintained that there is no community spread and has launched an aggressive containment strategy to check the spread of the disease.
Millions join PM Modi’s ‘9 pm-9min’ call, light lamps to show solidarity in the fight against COVID-19
Lamps were lit, torches were switched on and mobile lights were flashed from the balconies by countrymen who answered the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Thousands of people took to Twitter to show their support and tweeted with a #tag, #9PM9MINS.
#WATCH Delhi: People switched off the lights in their houses for 9 minutes at 9 PM & lit candles, ‘diyas’, or flashlights, to mark India’s fight against #Coronavirus as per PM Narendra Modi’s appeal. Visuals from Preet Vihar. (05.04.2020) pic.twitter.com/8AJ1zhj6hp
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2020
#WATCH Maharashtra: World’s tallest Samai (Pooja lamp) at Jerryl lawns, Nagpur was lit to show gratitude to health care workers & emergency service providers, and to mark India’s fight against #Coronavirus. (05.04.2020) pic.twitter.com/4mx6QUqOQG
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2020
9 pm 9minutes: Bollywood celebs light up diyas in response to PM Modi’s call
Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the countrymen to light lamps on April 5 to display the nation’s ‘collective resolve’ to combat coronavirus outbreak, a host of Bollywood celebrities urged people to wholeheartedly carry out the task.
The celebrities of the film industry had come out in big numbers to follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to laud the heroes of the battle against COVID-19. Pictures and videos of the stars clapping, banging utensils and other objects, playing musical instruments had gone viral. And as the PM urged the citizens for another act of solidarity in the Coronavirus battle by spreading light together, many celebrities promised to adhere to his request and they proved it too.
Rajnikanth
Tamil Nadu: Actor Rajinikanth lit a candle outside his residence in Chennai. PM Modi had appealed to people to switch off all lights of houses at 9 PM for 9 mins & just light candle,’diya’ or mobile’s flashlight, to mark fight against #COVID19. (05.04.2020) pic.twitter.com/NaatDJ3qBf
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2020
Hema Malini
She urged followers to take an oath in the ‘long and arduous war against the deadly Coronavirus’.
We lit lamps exactly at 9PM for 9 minutes in deference to the PM’s wish pic.twitter.com/1m8pKtFlMw
— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) April 5, 2020
Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar
They echoed the PM’s message by using the hashtag ‘9 baje 9 minutes.’
View this post on InstagramThe darkest nights produce the brightest stars. Together, we shall overcome !!! #9MinutesForIndia.
Raveena Tandon
She shared how her family lights diya in every room of their house, and on April 5 it was going to be ‘special’. The actor backed the PM’s initiative and expressed her support to the citizens and the medical workers.
Akshay Kumar
Akshay says, “Together we stand and together we will come out of this dark phase. Till then stay strong, stay safe #9Baje9Minute.”
Together we stand and together we will come out of this dark phase. Till then stay strong, stay safe ✨ #9Baje9Minute pic.twitter.com/9b7AlWCjw7
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 5, 2020
Katrina kaif
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone
PM Narendra Modi
शुभं करोति कल्याणमारोग्यं धनसंपदा ।
शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते ॥ pic.twitter.com/4DeiMsCN11— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2020
PM Modi’s message on lighting candles prompts rumors:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a video message earlier. He asked citizens to light candles and mobile flashlights on April 9 for 9 minutes in a show of solidarity in the fight against Coronavirus. No sooner was the message delivered than people began speculating reasons for this appeal. WhatsApp and social media have since been rife with many misleading messages that ‘explain’ and ‘analyze’ the initiative. Calling such posts “rumors/unscientific reasoning”, Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Twitter handle has requested people not to fall for such messages.
“Don’t fall for the rumours / unscientific reasoning on the appeal for lightning Diya/candles/flash/torch on 5th April at 9pm”
They further add the reason behind PM Modi’s appeal. “This initiative is to show solidarity and confidence in our collective fight against #Covid19,” it says. The tweet is accompanied with at least three screenshots of such messages circulating in WhatsApp groups and other online platforms.
This initiative is to show solidarity and confidence in our collective fight against #Covid19
Please maintain #SocialDistancing to keep #Covid19 at bay!
A morphed image being shared on social media cites a prominent Hindi news channel claiming Union Home Minister @amitshah has been infected with #COVID19
The image is #Fake and aims to spread confusion. Please do not share or forward it. pic.twitter.com/3evj8DFUiA
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 5, 2020
