Instead of Calling for Lighting of Diyas, PM Should have Addressed Genuine COVID-19 Concerns: Adip Phukan

Guwahati, April 3, 2020:

With the entire world's eyes set firmly on him, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took centrestage at 9 at earlier in the morning. Modi then went on to urge the nation of 1.3 billion people to light candles and diyas and mobile torches for a full 9 minutes on Sunday while staying in their balconies or houses. "You are not alone, no one is alone in the fight against coronavirus. The light from the lamps will show that we are together in this battle", Modi said.

This announcement of the PM has been termed as "underwhelming" by Adip Phukan, the Executive Director of regional party Asom Sangrami Mancha.

Phukan told Inside Northeast, "Look, when Modi announced his address yesterday, we were all excited. Did he have a package for the poor? Some health related information, perhaps? However, when he said that we have to light candles and torchlights, I felt it was a missed opportunity to address some real concerns."

Phukan further opines that people want two things -- security and. "Government is responsible for that, and the people are complying with the rules. Both the Government and the people are cooperating."

Stating that the situation is related to "humanity", Phukan added that no "cheap politics" or communal rifts should be fomented in these times of great crisis.

The Assam leader also stated that people are disappointed with Modi's address because many were looking forward to how they could avail the benefits from the Government's 1.7 lakh crore package.

Moreover, Phukan said, many doctors and nurses have not been availed the necessary PPE equipment. Since they are not getting the proper protective measures, they are looking forward to announcements from the Government.

"What will happen to production? In times of war, production and war goes on side-by-side. So what happens to us in the future? What happens to the farmers?", Phukan queried.

It may be mentioned that the PM's gesture has been opposed by opposition political parties.

Former Finace Minister P Chidambaram said, "Every working man and woman, from business person to daily wage earner, also expected you to announce steps to arrest the economic slide and re-start the engines of economic growth. The people are disappointed on both counts."

Shashi Tharoor also lampooned the PM for this new "measure" against the COVID-19. He tweeted out, "Listened to the Pradhan Showman. Nothing about how to ease people’s pain, their burdens, their financial anxieties. No vision of the future or sharing the issues he is weighing in deciding about the post-lockdown. Just a feel-good moment curated by India’s Photo-Op PrimeMinister."

It may be recalled that in his first address to the nation on March 19, Modi had called for a Janata curfew for 14 hours from 7 AM to 9 PM on March 22 and urged the nation to follow the mantra of “resolve and restraint” to fight the coronavirus. A day after the Janata curfew on March 23, Modi announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days to break the coronavirus transmission chain.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 cases in India have risen to

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