BH CORRESPONDENT, New Delhi: In a rare address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought public participation in the country’s war on coronavirus pandemic and called for a ‘Janta Curfew’ on Sunday i.e. March 22, saying all citizens must stay home from 7 am to 9 pm.
“Under this Janta (public) Curfew, no person should leave their home or gather in their society. Only those related to essential services need to go out,” the Prime Minister said, adding that all citizens must abide by this.
“On that day, at 5 pm, we will stand in our balconies, windows or doors for 5 minutes, we will show our gratitude to those maintaining essential services by ringing bells, sounding sirens, clapping or clanging utensils,” said PM Modi.
The Prime Minister suggested the one-day exercise would help inculcate a new discipline for social distancing for the next few weeks.
The PM urged people to stay home and leave only if necessary in the next few weeks.
“Coronavirus has endangered humanity. It has affected more nations than the World Wars,” said PM Modi.
Modi also asked citizens not to resort to panic buying or horde essentials. “The government will ensure that there is no shortage of essential commodities like milk, medicine and food,” the PM told his countrymen.
A request to the people of India- please do not indulge in panic buying. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/ZG1ho45hQG
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2020
“I want the next few weeks from you, I want your time,” he said, announcing a series of measures to avoid what he called the explosion of the outbreak seen in other nations.
The PM said that the economic impact of coronavirus onslaught cannot be underestimated. “I have formed a COVID-19 task force led by the finance minister to look into the problems of businesses,” Modi said.
With agency inputs
