BJP leaders hail people lighting lamps in response to PM's call

BJP leaders hailed most people's adherence to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to switch off lights at their homes and light diyas, candles or turn on mobile phone torches on Sunday, asserting that it showed the country's support to him in the fight against the coronavirus, even as the Opposition sought to corner the government.

Modi shared a Sanskrit "shloka" on Twitter that broadly meant that light brings auspiciousness, health and prosperity, and destroys inimical forces.

While lighting lamps at his residence, the prime minister gave a subtle yet important message of national integration by wearing a lungi from the south and an Assamese gamocha from the north-east.

He had asked people to switch off lights at their homes for nine minutes at 9 pm and light diyas and candles or turn on mobile phone torches in an expression of collective resolve and solidarity against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Home Minister Amit Shah said India stands firmly with Modi in the fight against the pandemic, soon after millions of households across the country lit diyas as they do on Diwali and flashed mobile torches with many even bursting firecrackers for nine minutes from 9 pm.

"A ray of hope and belief can brighten the darkest times. On PM Narendra Modi's clarion call, have switched off the lights at my home and lit diyas. India stands firmly with PM in this fight against COVID-19," he said.

BJP president J P Nadda said the exercise strengthened the country's collective resolve to fight the coronavirus and 130 crore people are standing as one with the prime minister.

With Modi rallying people as he leads his government's measures against the pandemic, opposition leaders sought to turn the debate to his handling of the crisis.

The Congress on its Twitter handle asked people to think about the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for medical professionals.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said many health workers fighting against COVID-19 are constrained to risk their lives in the absence of the PPE kits.

Gandhi's remarks, however, came before 9 pm.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) asked the government to answer questions about its measures against the pandemic.

"Can we get these nine things done now?" a video message from TMC leader Derek O'Brien asked.

Relaxing the states' fiscal limit from three to five per cent, releasing the GST dues to the states, enhancing the stimulus package from one per cent of the GDP to five per cent were some of the demands made by the MP.

He also demanded that the government make testing for coronavirus free and treat patients in isolation, and asked when will quality personal protection kits be made available to medical professionals.

However, BJP leaders were upbeat as people again showed their willingness to respond to Modi's call.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar said people are together in this hour of crisis and to back the government in its fight against the pandemic.

The exercise will infuse a fresh wave of enthusiasm and self-confidence among people, he told reporters.

Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it was an expression of Indian citizens' collective spiritual power.

BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan also joined other ministers in lighting diyas.