New Delhi (Sputnik): At a time when a sense of despair prevails among people holed up in their homes amid India’s 21-day lockdown, the nation’s prime minister has once again asked people to participate in an activity which symbolises defeating darkness and negativity.
In a bid to invoke the collective effort in the fight against coronavirus, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked people in the country to light ‘Diyas’ (earthern lamps), candles, or use flashlights this Sunday evening for nine minutes at their doorsteps or on the balconies of their houses.
Stressing that no one, especially the poor, is alone in this fight, Modi added: “In that light, in that lustre, in that radiance, let us resolve in our minds that we are not alone, that no one is alone! 130 crore (1.3 billion) Indians are committed, through a common resolve!”
Due to the lockdown, migrant workers who commonly collect their wages on a daily basis have set off for their homes in distant states on foot as the shutdown has eliminated their sources of income.
This is not the first time that the Indian prime minister has asked people to participate in such an activity.
Abiding by Modi’s request, people on 22 March participated in large numbers by clapping, blowing conch shells and clanging plates on the terraces of their homes to show solidarity and gratitude to the frontline workers serving the country during the coronavirus crisis.
However, in some places, the prime minister’s 22 March request yielded an unintended result, with people flouting the norms of social distancing while catering to Modi’s request. This time, he has urged people not to assemble or gather anywhere while participating.
India currently has 1,860 active cases of coronavirus in the country and has recorded 53 deaths due to the contagion.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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