Fact-check: Did PM Modi announce COVID-19 lockdown in a few states?

A video alleging fresh lockdown has been imposed in five states has been recently making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter. On November 22, Facebook user Khurram Siddiqui posted this clip, writing, “Lockdown in five states approved, Prime Minister Modi announces.” In this video, visuals of PM Modi and a few other union ministers flash with ‘breaking news’ written on top. The narrator claims fresh lockdown will be imposed in the country. The clip received over 4.5 million views at the time of writing. (Archive link)

A Facebook page named ‘STF News’ posted a different video with the same claim. (Archive link)

Fact-check

We did not find any news reports about the prime minister announcing another lockdown in the country. If he had indeed issued such a statement, it would have undoubtedly received widespread media coverage.

Furthermore, no such announcement was made by PM Modi or the Prime Minister’s Office on Twitter.

On November 24, the PM held a meeting with the chief ministers of several states to discuss the provision and distribution of coronavirus vaccine in India. According to Aaj Tak’s November 24 report, “The Center has already clarified that state governments will not need to arrange for a separate vaccine. The central government will be providing the vaccine to all the states.” As per the government’s plan, the vaccine will first be administered to health workers and the elderly. We did not find any media reports suggesting that the prime minister made an announcement about fresh lockdowns during this meeting.

It is noteworthy that rising covid cases across the country has prompted states like Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana to impose restrictions and curfews. However, none of these has been ordered by the central government.

A manufactured video reporting that the central government has announced fresh lockdown in a few states is therefore viral on social media.