Fact Check: Does PM Modi's announcement for April 5 have a connection with numerology?

Claim: PM Modi's announcement for 5 April at 9 pm is related to astrology and numerology

Rating: False

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What is the rumour about?

• The rumour includes a set of different types of messages that has started spreading in the country after PM Modi's announcement today.
• Various rumours are connecting different astrological, astronomical and numerological instances with PM Modi's announcement for April 5, 9 pm. 
• Many messages are even citing famous NASA scientists and their discussion with PM Modi regarding this. 

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Who started the rumour?

• Social media forwards
• People have been circulating these messages all over WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. The message has now spread like wildfire all over the country within a few hours of PM's announcement today. 

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Even messages like this are also circulating all over in India, since PM Modi made the announcement about lighting candles on April 5 for 9 minutes at 9 pm. 

Image courtesy: WhatsApp

Image courtesy: Twitter

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Google Trends 

After an analysis of the Google Trends with respect to the "PM Modi announcement and its connection with astrology, numerology, scientific or any astronomical events" rumour, the message spread like wildfire and maximum people have searched for the same today, i.e. on April 3, 2020. 

Image courtesy: Google Trends 

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Republic World did a fact check

• Republic World did a fact check on various message forwards related to PM Modi's announcement and found them to be False. 
• PM Modi urged the people of India to light a 'Diya', candle or torch or mobiles on April 5, at 9 pm for 9 minutes from the balconies or corridors of their homes.
• This is solely to highlight the objective that all the 130 crores Indian are fighting together during this Coronavirus pandemic. Also to indicate that no one is fighting this alone and every Indian is in it together.
• This is also a gesture to thank the people who abided by the lockdown rules and helped prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.
• A WhatsApp forward that states that April 5 and Vamana Dwadashi fall on the same date is also wrong. As in Hindu calendar, Vaman Dwadashi falls on the Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapad month. Currently, the Hindi calendar is observing Chaitra month and not Bhadrapad.
• One message states that the heat that we will generate from the lamps would increase the temperature of the surroundings which would then kill the Coronavirus. This claim is also false and baseless.
• The message forward that states that PM Modi had a conversation with NASA scientist Thomas Shelby is also wrong, as no such official statement has been released. 
• PM Modi's announcement with Numerology 9 message also seems to be wrong at two points as neither his speech timing was of 9 minutes and neither today is the 9th day post lockdown.
• Like this, many messages have such counterpoints that could prove their assumptions as baseless. April 5 9 pm event is only suggested so as to foster the idea of unity amongst the citizens of the country.

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Even PIB Fact Check's Twitter handle has posted the fact check mentioning that the rumour is fake. 

Image courtesy: PIB Fact Check Twitter

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Is there any rumour you want Republic World to do a fact check on? Do you have facts about a rumour? Share your pictures or videos with Republic World on contact@republicworld.com or comment on this story itself. 

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