The ruling alliance partners in Maharashtra— the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena — slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for his call to people to light candles, lamps or mobile torches on April 5 at 9 pm, by saying that the call was “irresponsible” and “stupid” and that it did not behove well for a Prime Minister to give such a call.
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s call, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee and State Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat said: “The country is going through a tough time as the number of Coronavirus cases increasing each day. During such times, the Prime Minister is expected to take some firm policy decisions. Is it the Prime Minister’s job to ask people to clap, light lamps etc? It is about time that PM gets serious about the issues at least now”.
Dubbing the Modi’s call is an act of stupidity, NCP leader and State Housing Minister Dr. Jitendra Awhad said: “Prime Minister of India asks people to light lamps & candles. Is this some kind of a joke? Not a word on where the country stands in this war. It’s preparedness, additional financial aid, new facilities created, diagnostic centres added, what his government proposes to do with gargantuan problem of stranded migrants. Shame!”.
Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut tweeted: “When people were asked to clap , they crowded the roads and beat drums , I just hope now they don’t burn down their own houses , sir ‘diya to jalalenge ‘ but please tell us what the government is doing to improve condition”.
“To fight the crisis, doctors, nurses, police, para-medical staff are all working by putting their lives at risk. The need of the hour is to stand firmly behind these people and give them the necessary help. What is required at this time is making available adequate number of ventilators, increasing the number of testing labs, providing doctors and their staff with PPEs, to provide financial assistance to states to fight this crisis,” Thorat said.
“Also, the general public needs to be given hope, to announce relief packages for people who have lost their livelihoods. Nothing of this was done only an event of lighting of lamps was announced. After hearing the address, the question that is being raised is: whether Narendra Modi will behave like a Prime Minister or not?,” the State Congress chief asked, adding that the ruling BJP was trivialising the Coronavirus issue through such “PR stunts”.
“His (Modi’s) so called address to nation this morning smacked of irresponsibility and incompetence personified. It was the most apt example of how a prime minister of the country should not be. He never does his homework. It was desired he will at least at this hour,” Awhad said.
“All he ( Modi) is consistently giving people is sedatives such as clap, bang the utensils and light the lamps like celebration or an events. His blind, irrational followers will do it dutifully, oblivious that they too are being cheated. They will not think even for a minute how this will help to tide over the alarming situation. His cockamamie & gimmicks is a narcotic they are addicted to”.
“On his part, PM is more than happy to peddle this drug as it hides his bankruptcy of will and ability to take any concrete action. On my part, I vow not to indulge into this stupidity. I will share the cost of same oil with some poor and needy. Let Modi know one cardinal truth that you cannot fool all the people all the time,” Awhad said in a strong statement issued here.