Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday sought to distance himself from a malicious campaign urging people to stand in public for 5 minutes to honour him terming it a “mischievous” attempt to drag the PM into controversies.

In an appeal on Twitter, PM Modi urged people to not fall for such false calls.

An anonymous poster making rounds on social media is seen urging the people of the country to “stand at their house balconies at 5 pm on April 12 and give a standing ovation and salute to the Prime Minister”.

“This man has done so much for us and our nation,” reads a line in the poster.

“Mr Narendra Damodardasji Modi for 5 minutes,” the poster says, asking people to share the message with as many as possible.

Reacting to the poster, PM Modi tweeted: “It has been brought to my attention that some people are running a campaign to honour Modi by standing for 5 minutes. At first glance, it seems like mischief to drag Modi into controversies.”

मेरे ध्यान में लाया गया है कि कुछ लोग यह मुहिम चला रहे हैं कि 5 मिनट खड़े रहकर मोदी को सम्मानित किया जाए। पहली नजर में तो यह मोदी को विवादों में घसीटने की कोई खुराफात लगती है।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 8, 2020

He further said that if one really wants to honour him, then he/she may take the responsibility of one poor family at least until the coronavirus crisis ends.

“Maybe it is out of good intentions, so it is my request that if you have so much love and if you want to honour Modi, then take the responsibility of one poor family at least until the coronavirus crisis ends. There can’t be a bigger honour for me,” he wrote.

हो सकता है कि यह किसी की सदिच्छा हो, तो भी मेरा आग्रह है कि यदि सचमुच में आपके मन में इतना प्यार है और मोदी को सम्मानित ही करना है तो एक गरीब परिवार की जिम्मेदारी कम से कम तब तक उठाइए, जब तक कोरोना वायरस का संकट है। मेरे लिए इससे बड़ा सम्मान कोई हो ही नहीं सकता।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 8, 2020

Millions of people have followed PM Modi’s call on previous Sundays — first to clap and clang utensils in appreciation of the work done by health workers and essential service providers and the second a “light the lamp” call to show unity against the “darkness of coronavirus”.