A video of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announcing a lockdown at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 has been revived on social media as a recent one.
On 17 March, Yediyurappa ruled out another lockdown or curfew in light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other chief ministers.
CLAIM
Several users shared the video with the caption, “Corona Emergency in the state for a week. Malls, cinemas and night pubs closed.”
The video was also shared on YouTube.
The Quint also received a query regarding the video on its WhatsApp helpline.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
Going through the videos of local news channel, NewsFirst Kannada – whose logo can be seen in the viral video – on YouTube, we came across the original video dated 13 March 2020.
The Chief Minister had announced a lockdown for a week following the death of an elderly man from Kalaburagi due to the coronavirus in March 2020. All universities, colleges, malls, pubs, cinema halls and night clubs were shut down.
Further, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan CN also took to Twitter to clarify that the video being circulated is of a year-old press conference.
We also spoke to the state health department and they, too, confirmed that no such decision has been taken.
PM Modi held a virtual meeting with the chief ministers of all states and Union territories on Wednesday, 17 March, and said that the emerging second wave of COVID-19 will have to be stopped immediately.
In a press conference after the meeting, Yediyurappa stated that there would be no lockdown in the state and urged people to continue following the COVID-19 guidelines. The state would ramp up testing and vaccination drive in order to tackle the rising cases, The Times of India reported.
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