Journal of Content, Community & Communication Amity School of Communication Vol. 12 Year 6, December - 2020 [ISSN: 2395-7514 (Print) ] Amity University, Madhya Pradesh [ISSN: 2456-9011 (Online)] PM NARENDRA MODI’S APPEAL ON FIGHTING AGAINST COVID-19: A STUDY Gurjeet Kaur Chitkara School of Mass Communication, Chitkara University, Punjab, India Ashutosh Mishra Chitkara School of Mass Communication, Chitkara University, Punjab, India ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic is today's biggest public health crisis and the world's largest threat to humanity since the Second World War. COVID-19 has triggered a profound economic crisis, as well as an unprecedented human toll . India is trying to minimise the pandemic‟s impact and for this Centre and State governments are working hard to sensitise people to keep all the precautions suggested by international and national experts to stop it‟s spread. The motive of this study is to know whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is managed to send the right message at the right time. What are the messages and how many times during the lockdown or post lockdown, he addressed the country to instil trust in the people. This research work also focused on to discuss how frequently he has briefed about the measures being taken to curb COVID-19 and to bring the situation under control. In order to study speeches PM Modi delivered during the lockdown, this work aims at conducting the content analysis of Mann ki Baat episodes (March-June 2020) based on the COVID-19 information and all those appeals to the nation that PM made in the 4 months ( March –June 2020) have been used as sample for study. This paper outlines the scope of understanding how PM has inculcated the habit among people about taking precautions to prevent themselves from COVID-19. Keywords: PM Narendra Modi, Speeches, COVID-19, Pandemic, Corona Crisis, Lockdown, Mann ki Baat, Media, Address, Corona Warriors. MASS COMMUNICATION AS A TOOL shoulder of the media to make people aware FOR DEVELOPMENT of the symptoms of COVID-19 and how they Communication represents the mechanism of can defend themselves from this virus. actual human contact. It is a mechanism by which meanings are understood and COVID-19: CURRENT SCENARIO IN understandings are attained among people. INDIA Media plays vital role in growth and seeks Dealing with the unexpected problems caused from the target audience to follow a by the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge constructive shift in attitude towards intented toll on people all over the planet. A novel messages (Choudhary, 2011). Mass media acts coronavirus strain (SARS-CoV-2) was first as a link between government and the people detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, a town by placing spotlights on government‟s actions. of 11 million people in China's Hubei Government also takes advantage of the province, following a pneumonia outbreak Fourth Pillar of democracy for information with no clear cause. The virus has now spread dissemination and uses it to involve people in to more than 200 countries and and the World such initiatives which are for the betterment of Health Organization (WHO) described it as a the society and nation. The media were seen pandemic on 11 March 2020. The first case of as the „mobility multipliers‟ (Schramm 1964) COVID-19 was identified on 30 January 2020 or „diffusers of innovations‟ (Rogers 1962, in India (Ghosh, 2020). Health and Family 1983, 2003). India is a developing nation and Welfare Ministry has confirmed a total of there are many deep-rooted evils (Dowry, 11,95,703 COVID-19 reported cases, 4,13,288 female foeticide, domestic violence, lack of Active cases and 28,786 deaths In the country education, unemployment etc.) which are as on 20th July 2020. The outbreak and matter of concerns (Kumar, K. J. 2017) . propagation of these viruses will have a major Coronavirus has recently arisen as a huge effect on the Indian economy. The outbreak in threat for the world as a whole and so a great China could have a profound effect on the deal of responsibility has fallen on the Indian economy, especially in the electronics, DOI: 10.31620/JCCC.12.20/13 140 pharmaceuticals and logistics sectors, as extended till 30th June commercial ports with China are currently May 31 5,000 deaths due to COVID-19 closed (Wang,C. P. 2020) As per the official June 13 300,000 reported cases government guidance, India is planning to June 17 10,000 deaths due to COVID-19 fight against the COVID-19, and ignoring or June 27 500,000 Confirmed cases not underlining clear crisis intervention would June 28 321774 Patients defeated Corona have highly serious consequences. All of June 30 585792 reported cases India's neighbouring countries have reported positive cases of COVID-19. In order to guard Every phase of this journey has been followed against the deadly virus, the Indian by the media – with numerous news stories, Government has taken required and stringent incessant reports and constant updates steps, including the establishment of health regarding COVID-19 over the last few weeks. checkpoints between national borders, to test Weather it‟s electronic media or print media, whether citizens entering the country have the every sort of media is disseminating virus (Varsha, K. 2020). information and making people aware of the precautions to be taken against COVID-19 Table 1-: Timeline on Covid-19 pandemic (Varsha, K.2020). Prime Minister Narendra cases in India (January -June2020) (Gloria, Modi is also advising the country to keep 2020) people safe and updated during the public Date Cases health crisis, either by video messages or (2020) through Mann Ki Baat Radio Programme. st January 30 1 Reported case March 4 Foreign passenger checks are Mann Ki Baat-The PM’s Show compulsory at all airports Mann Ki Baat- a monthly radio programme in March 12 1st Death was reported All India Radio ( Akashwani) is an interesting March 13 Visa suspension for non-essential and popular address by the Prime Minister travellers Narendra Modi where he uses this national March 15 100 Reported Cases channel and is relayed by DD‟s all channels March 16 Passenger boundary crossing and other TV channels too on the last Sunday halted of every month. Mann Ki Baat furnishes the March 22 Janata Curfew: One day common man with the chance to send in their Passenger travel flights suggestions to PM and also tell him about the suspended until further notice issues and themes on which the address March 25 A national lock-down was should be centred which makes it enforced until April 14 participatory interface (Ahuja, 2016). The March 28 1000 cases wereConfirmed programme began in 2014 and has completed March 30 100 Recoveries were Confirmed sixty-five broadcasts till date. PM is using this April 5 100 Deaths reported medium at the time of corona crisis to spread April 14 10,000 cases confirmed, awareness .He assured many times in his lockdown extended till 3rd May. broadcast that the nation is taking the required April 19 500 Deaths reported steps to curb COVID-19 and trying best April 25 5,000 cases confirmed possible way to get the situation under control May 1 The extended nation wide so that citizen may trust and march ahead lockdown until 17th May with crisis situation (Manral, K.2020). May 2 10000 Patients defeated Corona May 7 50,000 Cases were reported REVIEW OF LITERATURE May 11 20,000 Patients were recovered The recent outbreak of COVID-19 in several countries has also triggred the research May 17 The Extended Nationwide related to it where researchers have analysed Lockdown until 31st May the rise and impact of coronavirus, May 19 100,000 Corona cases were preparation and preventive measures, future confirmed perspective, and effects of lockdown during May 23 50,000 recovieries pandemic. The researchers have done the May 27 150 000 corona cases were research to understand the insights of its confirmed impact on the masses. One of the researchers May 30 Lockdown in containment areas 141 has reported that almost all parts of the pandemic and also discussed prevention steps country are struggling with the Corona virus. or future perspectives. Whereas the main There is no comprehension of the irony of this objective of this study is to examine the modern epidemic, and mortality and appeals and issues raised by PM Narendra morbidity are high across the globe (Varsha, Modi in the battle against COVID-19 during 2020). The Indian Ministry of Sanitation and the lockdown/post lockdown (March -June Family Welfare, the Government of India and 2020). What are the messages and how many ICMR have established guidelines, advice on times during the lockdown or post lockdown, protocol on social distance, treatment, he addressed the country to instil trust in the management, doctrines and doctrines and people. It was examined wether people have other credible materials Chatterjee, (K. S. acknowledged the PM speeches delivered 2020), (MOHFW). Health care staff does its job either by video address or MKB radio perfectly well and so is the government but programme. what is important for everybody who is a citizen of India is to maintain social distance SCOPE OF THE STUDY and follow advisories strictly from time to This paper aims to evaluate the different time so that we can make way for our dear speeches delivered by PM Narendra Modi ones' own lives (Varsha, 2020) . In the same through TV addresses or Mann Ki Baat radio way another researcher has observed that one programme (from March to June 2020) in of the most compelling pictures of the 2019 order to make people aware about the impact corona virus pandemic (COVID-19) emerged of Corona-virus and also to minimise the after India's government initiated a 3-week impact of pandemic .