We’ve all seen the fake WhatsApp image of the Coronavirus ‘retreating‘ in India after the ‘taali bajao, thali bajao‘ exercise as part of the BJP’s curfew in India. Despite the similar message being circulated every year, Indians still fell for it.
As part of the nationwide ‘Janta curfew,’ the Prime Minister Narendra Modi called to the people to participate in a nationwide exercise to mark the curfew.
Do remember,
5 PM this evening for 5 minutes…
Be on your terraces, balconies or windows to express gratitude to all those who are working 24/7 so that our nation becomes free from COVID-19. #JantaCurfew pic.twitter.com/Cwds0v4cJ8
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2020
You seem to have forgotten clapping and beating plates (this actually happened at 5 PM across India today). Apparently NASA has confirmed that it worked. pic.twitter.com/V40gaW10ZX
— bunghunny (@bunghunny) March 22, 2020
Congrats India. Seems like the war against #CoViD has been won. Whatsapp has started receiving results straight from NASA. https://t.co/A11BsvJIq5
— Kahanikaar™ (@vishalvkumar) March 22, 2020
As if there wasn’t enough misinformation already about the Coronavirus, India even implicated the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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At 5 PM on Sunday, March 22nd, Indians lined up on their doorsteps, and balconies to clap, and banged on pots, pans and plates, for ‘taali bajao, taali bajao‘. Here’s a dedicated thread to what went down.
'Go Corona' Masterstroke by Modiji today
Entire India was united today at 5 PM, banging utensils in support of Doctors & Nurses
To chronicle this great moment of history in the middle of a pandemic, making this thread
Pls do share & support with your videos🙏
Corona Garbha 👇 pic.twitter.com/3tQrAK2Irg
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 22, 2020
They created a ‘sound‘ to thank healthcare and essential service workers on the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus. This was followed by a fake WhatsApp message that even NASA witnessed the ‘sound’ from space.
NASA has said that as of today India is the only country that can be heard from space. This is happening for the first time in human history.
So proud of my country! UNESCO has declared this the best measure taken against Covid-19.
Please RT to the maximum. 🙏🙏🙏
— Rajesh Bysani (@fartfree) March 22, 2020
NASA released map with highest decibels registered across all parts of India. This is what am expecting soon.
— sobanbabu (@Sobanism) March 22, 2020
NASA👏 HAS👏 DECLARED 👏 INDIA 👏AS 👏 MOST 👏 MUSICAL 👏 COUNTRY 👏IN 👏 WORLD 👏
— Peaky Balwinder (@momoskhanehaibc) March 22, 2020
BREAKING NEWS!!!‼️‼️
NASA has announced that the astronauts on their International Space Station could hear our loud clapping noises from India at 11:30 am GMT
We indians have finally made our voices hear loud and clear across the world!!! 🇮🇳🇮🇳
JAI HIND 🇮🇳🇮🇳#clapforourcarers— Leena Mathew (@leenasind) March 22, 2020
According to News 18, during Diwali every year, the same message of “NASA sharing visuals of India from space” is circulated with an image. Every single year, without fail.
@NASA can you knock some sense into these people. Do it before @UNESCO Gives another recognition to India for beating #COVIDー19 #StayHomeSaveLives #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/eGiQu2oAKq
— Yogesh Khairajani (@Wittyyogesh) March 22, 2020
Yet people still fall for it. To the point where people even believed the vibration from the clapping actually destroyed the virus.
We are such a massive cringefest of a country that we need to be told this by the goddamn PIB! Wow.
Aur bajao taali/thali. https://t.co/352ivnihFk
— Sweta Dash (@SwetaDash93) March 23, 2020
In fact the ‘taali bajao, thali bajao‘ exercise wasn’t even helping the fight against Coronavirus at all.
In many areas"thaali bajao and taali bajao"led to this kind of social distancing.we are sitting on'Caron's Volcano'. The messaging should be loud and clear and National Plan to combat it should come from the Highest up before it is late. @narendramodi @Mayawati pic.twitter.com/EF1UYQaAlo
— Sudhindra Bhadoria (@SudhinBhadoria) March 23, 2020
His Excellency, the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala is conducting a workshop on how to effectively maintain social distancing at the Raj bhavanpic.twitter.com/NVFLByQLoZ
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 22, 2020
UNESCO award for the Best Social Distancing during a Pandemic goes to 👇
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 22, 2020
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In fact, Modi was even bashed by the healthcare officials he was ‘honoring’ with the ‘taali bajao, thali bajao‘ exercise.
Instead of supplying them with proper equipment and security our Feku PM is asking us for ghanta bajao, thali bajao, taali bajao for them and the irony is people are following him. pic.twitter.com/OWGDRL74dn
— Asif Ansari (@AsifMtex) March 24, 2020
Indian biggest hospital is running out of emergency kit like 2/3 ply mask.
They need more equipment rather than taali and thali bajao. pic.twitter.com/gkBqzG4eM0— نور خان (@onlyhalalbro) March 23, 2020
Even Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi offered his two cents.
https://twitter.com/Amir_khaaann/status/1242191522402983936
Science says its wrong, but we already knew that
First off, space is a vacuum and sound cannot travel through it. Secondly, NASA ain’t got time for that.
Netizens, on the other hand, have plenty of time to make memes out of this.
Nasa has just released a photo of India from Space. Real. Not fake. pic.twitter.com/IEmYrBMYnl
— Hero (@theAmeyRane) March 22, 2020
Nasa shared pics of India..#5baje5minute#ThaliBajao pic.twitter.com/BQQQjLjYKB
— Sardar G سردار جی (@Woke_Sardar) March 22, 2020
Amazing picture of India on March 22, 5pm – from NASA pic.twitter.com/v1wrGPqVYY
— rabhinder kannan (@rabhinderkannan) March 22, 2020
NASA has released satellite image of india today.. pic.twitter.com/gpBaQqQ6I5
— sameer khan (@sameerkhan1431s) March 22, 2020
So what do you think? Will clapping your hands stave off coronavirus?
It’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration not National Association of Space and Astronomy.