'May the 4th be with you': How Twitter reacted to PM Modi's coronavirus lockdown speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown scheduled to be lifted on April 15 to May 3. Even though such grim measures are unprecedented, Twitterati did not fail to find some humour to lighten the mood. As the lockdown is now scheduled to be lifted on May 4, Twitterati cracked the one and the same joke. To spice things up, some Twitter users also posted some good old self-deprecating jokes.

May the fourth be with you is a pun on Star Wars' widely popular dialogue "May the force be with you". The phrase often used by Obi Wan Kenobi meant that the power of the Force be with the addressee in the challenges he or she was going to face.

Never has there been a more apt use of the dialogue.

India - May the 4th be with you.....

Till then Sith at home!!! pic.twitter.com/4zn1FYKzbX

- Madan Sanglikar (maddy) (@maddyisms) April 14, 2020

Lock down in India till May 3.

For my friends in India - May the 4th be with you. #lockdown

- chinmay kansara (@chinmayrocksta1) April 14, 2020

"Gob bless you, May the 4th be with you "

#Lockdown2 pic.twitter.com/nTrA9YKsJY

- Ghatta (@Kattehaiklu) April 14, 2020

May the 4th be with us.

- Textual Offender (@TextualOffender) April 14, 2020

Lockdown extended till the 3rd of May. After that, May the 4th be with you.

- Oumar Aga (@Oumar_Aga) April 14, 2020

#Lockdown2 announced till 3rd may , 7 days strict observation period...

All Extroverts till 3rd of May pic.twitter.com/HOvkuCRqTW

- Rishabh Agarwal (@Rishabh29228019) April 14, 2020

Lockdown Extended To 3rd Of May !!!!

Le Me pic.twitter.com/MpMDa8Un09

- Sairaj Sonne (@_i_am_s_s) April 14, 2020

The Prime Minister said that even though people were facing hardships, they still stood like soldiers in the war against coronavirus. He said that the Centre has been in constant engagement with the states and the general opinion has been a lockdown extension. While many states have already extended the lockdown to April 30, the national lockdown will stretch to May 3.

PM Modi also said that for a week from now -- till April 20 -- the government will observe every district, town, village, city, region to see how they have followed the restrictions. He said that if the areas follow the restrictions perfectly then some lockdown norms for certain services will be lifted. However, if there is any violation, stringent restrictions will be imposed again, he said.

Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: India enters lockdown 2.0 as COVID-19 cases cross 10,000 mark

Also read: Coronavirus Lockdown 2.0: Govt suspends domestic, international flights till May 3

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graphic.