New Delhi: After the ‘Janata curfew’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today, urged the nation to light candles and diyas for nine minutes at 9 pm Sunday. This left Twitter users divided, as usual.
Predictably, the Congress is disapproving. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has a conspiracy theory about the number 9.
This is no accident: the PM spoke on Ram Navami at 9 am for 9 mins, asked us to light diyas & candles on 5/4 at 9 pm for 9 mins. He is invoking all the auspicious elements Hinduism associates with number 9. Back to Ram Bharose?! #COVID19 must be more serious than we thought!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 3, 2020
Another Congress leader, Priya Dutt, who doesn’t often comment, is looking for what else may drive away the coronavirus.
Unbelievable address by the PM. First it was make noise now it is switch off lights & burn candles to dispell the darkness of corona, next will be to rub the magic lamp & wish for corona to go away. I hope something works. Maybe the gini is our best bet. #lockdownindia
— Priya Dutt (@PriyaDutt_INC) April 3, 2020
Karti Chidambaram, Congress, has his own mumbo-jumbo suggestion.
Will sticking pins into a Voodoo Doll in the shape of #Corinnavirus help?
— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) April 3, 2020
The BJP is not one to take criticism lightly. Spokesperson Sambit Patra hits out at the Congress, suggesting that they remain in the dark…
If You all from @INCIndia don’t want to light a candle to stand in solidarity with India ..if that’s too much of a pain for you Congress people ..so be it ..stay in darkness..but at least don’t forget to put off that “TUBELIGHT”!! https://t.co/RytAF1WmSq
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) April 3, 2020
BJP National General Secretary B.L. Santhosh is all praise for Modi—and he means it.
Usual suspects are disappointed by @narendramodi s message .They want facts , figures & new policies. They are the same people who can’t manage the single kid they have or the pet without a maid . He has to manage a country of 130 Cr people & most disruptive liberal eco system .
— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) April 3, 2020
However, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut hopes we don’t all go up in smoke, or worse…
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
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) April 3, 2020
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi asks a tube-light question.
This country is not an event management company. The people of India are humans who too have dreams & hopes. Don’t reduce our lives to gimmicks of 9 mins, @PMOIndia. We wanted to know what aid states will get & what relief the poor will receive
Instead we got some new drama[1/n]
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 3, 2020
Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, wonders if there anything ‘kaala’ in this ‘daal’ but you have to sing out his question….
आप जो इतने दिये जलवा रहे हो
क्या चूक है जिसको छुपा रहे हो …..— Prof. Gourav Vallabh (@GouravVallabh) April 3, 2020
After a long spell of silence, the Home Minister speaks out… against the Congress. Some things never change.
Under PM @narendramodi’s leadership, India’s efforts to fight Coronavirus are being lauded domestically and globally. 130 crore Indians are united to defeat COVID-19.
Yet, Congress is playing petty politics. High time they think of national interest and stop misleading people.— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 2, 2020
And the ‘tu-tu-main-main’ continues. Read Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s rebuttal for Shah and others in the BJP.
BJP leaders including Amit Shah ji, JP Nadda ji and Prakash Javdekar ji have knowingly twisted Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji's message for their petty politics. In the mid of pandemic this was really uncalled for.
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 2, 2020
Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah responds to the coronavirus crisis with his characteristic humour.
#laughteristhebestmedicine pic.twitter.com/Wl7vIXHchs
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 3, 2020
Bollywood was amongst the first to comment on the PM’s `diya jalao’ (light diyas) request.
Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha is all praise for the Prime Minister… now, only if he wasn’t joking.
Mr Modi knows the people of this country like no one else does.
— Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) April 3, 2020
Actor Anupam Kher sees light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel.
130 भारतीय 5 अप्रैल, रात 9 बजे, 9 मिनट तक अपने घर की लाइटें बंद करके अपने घरों के द्वार पे, बैल्कनी में दीया, मोमबत्ती या मोबाइल की लाइट जलाएंगे। परंतु कुछ लोग केवल टिप्पणियाँ करेंगे। इस वीडियो में भक्त और कमभक्त वाली लाइन की ऑरिजनल राइटर @thedesignink हैं। धन्यवाद अंजु जी। ?? pic.twitter.com/qcelQWL8CF
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) April 3, 2020
Actor Rishi Kapoor, who spent a lot of time with doctors and nurses during his recent illness, issues a heartfelt plea against violence towards them.
An appeal ? to all brothers and sisters from all social status and faiths. Please don’t resort to violence,stone throwing or lynching. Doctors,Nurses,Medics, Policemen etc..are endangering their lives to save you. We have to win this Coronavirus war together. Please. Jai Hind!??
— Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) April 2, 2020
Meanwhile, Shahrukh Khan announces a series of relief efforts to help people fight the coronavirus crisis.
In these times it’s imp to make everyone around u working tirelessly for u.. not related to u.. perhaps even unknown to u… to feel they are not alone and by themselves. Let’s just make sure we all do our little bit to look after each other. India and all Indians are One Family. https://t.co/LWz4wQGaPe
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 2, 2020
And another Khan speaks up too: actor Aamir Khan shares information on the Covid-19 fight.
मुंबई के लोगों के लिए यह सुविधा, BMC की तरफ सें। pic.twitter.com/klLVArB3Pk
— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) April 2, 2020
Expect a whole lot of interesting Whatsapp forwards after this Sunday’s diya ceremony—some like this.
Get ready to receive this from your uncles on WhatsApp on 5th April. ?♀️ pic.twitter.com/ohJvHjnOFh
— Swagata Dam (@SwagataDam) April 3, 2020