Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked citizens to adopt a right “war strategy” against pandemic coronavirus by maintaining social distancing, assisting administration and health workers, and providing for poor, left stranded because of the lockdown. The PM appealed to public to “endure temporary difficulties” with determination to win the battle against the virulent disease in 21 days.
A day after announcing a three-week nationwide lockdown, the Prime Minister on Wednesday interacted with a section of citizens from his parliamentary constituency Varanasi via video conferencing.
In his address and interactions, the Prime Minister reiterated that none should “hold the illusion” that problem would not come in a crisis like the one that has been looming large across the globe.
“Main nahin keh sakta hoon ki sab kuch theek hai,” Modi said and asked people to cooperate and assist administration and “not to put pressure on them and create negativity ”. He asked the people to cooperate, particularly with the doctors and health workers, who he said were “working for 18 hours to save human lives” and are like Gods.
Modi said instead of allowing things to worsen beyond imagination, all should “endure difficulties for next 21 days and follow social distancing protocol with all seriousness.”
He appealed to all social, cultural and religious organisations and public spirited people to pool in their efforts to help out poor who are suffering difficulties on account of the lockdown.
Modi said “Centre and states are putting their best to defeat the pandemic” but people need to chip in to win the war against the coronavirus. The Prime Minister said these are not “normal times.”
Prime Minister also shared a WhatsApp number (9013151515), which has been created by the government to help people get answers to any of their queries relating to Coronavirus.
He asked people to observe the 9-day “navratras” by providing food to at least nine needy families and also to animals around as they may have been deprived of their daily food due to the corona-quarantine. “Conquer Corona with Karuna (win Corona virus battle by being kind),” he affirmed.
The Prime Minister, who took questions from people from Varanasi, said, “Aapda ko avsar mein badalna hoga” and pointed out that this has also offered an opportunity to people to be with their families and “ humanity as such has come together to deal with calamity”.
He praised children’s contribution in providing positive messaging on social media and raising confidence of the all those engaged in coping with the situation across the country.
Answering a question on a section of people not adhering to general instructions and “misbehaving” with doctors, the Prime Minister said though most of the people across the country whole-heartedly participated in the ‘janata curfew’ on Sunday, some may have deviated from the prescribed line. Modi said “bad behaviour against doctors or nurses” will not be tolerated and that he has asked the Home Ministry and Directors General of Police of states to take strict action against the miscreants.