The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) which statistically measures Television ratings and viewership in India has revealed that the March 24 8PM address to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which he announced a 21-day lockdown to fight the Coronavirus is now the most-watched TV event in the history of the country.

As per BARC, a whopping 197 million viewers watched PM Modi's address on Tuesday evening. To put things into perspective, the IPL final was watched by 133 million viewers last time.

The Prime Minister's first address to the nation on the Coronavirus, when he announced the Janta Curfew for Sunday, March 22, was watched by 83 million people.

Again, to provide a comparison with other massive announcements and undertakings over the last few years, when the Prime Minister had announced demonetisation 57 million viewers had tuned in, while during the August 5, 2019, abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, 65 million viewers had watched.

The gigantic viewership figures of the Prime Minister's address highlights the unmatched degree of interest of the people of the country in the Coronavirus crisis. 700 cases have been confirmed in India, with the country currently in Day 3 of the 21-day lockdown that the Prime Minister has said is essential to defeating the outbreak.

Here is the announcement that has become the country's most-watched ever television event

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