The Press Information Bureau on Wednesday dismissed a media report which had claimed that the Narendra Modi government did not consult the 21-member scientific task force on COVID-19 before extending the nationwide lockdown.
“A magazine has claimed that PM Modi did not consult the 21-member scientific #COVID taskforce before extending the lockdown. Reality: All decisions were taken after consulting the taskforce,” a tweet by the PIB Fact Check said.
The agency also tagged a tweet by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which also had dismissed the news report as false.
"There is a media report which makes false claims about the COVID-19 Task Force. The fact is that the task force met 14 times in the last month and all decisions taken involve the members of the task force. Please avoid such conjectures," said the ICMR.
There is a media report which makes false claims about the COVID-19 Task Force. The fact is that the task force met 14 times in the last month and all decisions taken involve the members of the task force. Please avoid such conjectures. #COVID2019india #IndiaFightsCorona
— ICMR (@ICMRDELHI) April 15, 2020
The government had earlier stated that fighting the fake news is one of the biggest challenges amid novel coronavirus pandemic and has urged the media to cooperate in the fight against the deadly COVID-19.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3 to contain the spread of the deadly virus which has so far infected nearly 10,000 people and killed at least 377 in the country. The lockdown which was enforced on March 24 midnight was scheduled to end on April 14.
