New Delhi: In these unusual times, one has to, oddly, turn to Twitter for a taste of normalcy. Feel-good videos, sharp political jibes, the usual blame-games and name-calling continue on Twitter as if the world is not actually going through a deadly pandemic. Read on to feel right at home…
While the world goes into self-isolation, here’s one that has happily ended. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s first selfie after eight long months. Welcome back!
232 days after my detention today I finally left Hari Niwas. It’s a very different world today to the one that existed on 5th August 2019. pic.twitter.com/Y44MNwDlNz
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 24, 2020
He’s also making us an offer that we ought not to refuse in these coronavirus times…
On a lighter note if anyone wants tips on surviving quarantine or a lock down I have months of experience at my disposal, perhaps a blog is in order.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 24, 2020
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expresses her delight at Abdullah’s release.
So happy to learn that @omarabdullah’s unconstitutional and undemocratic detention has been revoked at last. Its about time the union government restores democratic and constitutional rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as well.
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) March 24, 2020
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, who resigned Friday, is not allowing his successor Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan to rest on his laurels. Nath questions the haste in calling for a vote of confidence in Madhya Pradesh as India goes into lockdown.
एक तरफ़ कोरोना वाइरस को लेकर सुरक्षा व सावधानी के लिये लिये गये तमाम निर्णय,प्रदेश में भी लॉक डाउन,कर्फ़्यू जैसे निर्णय,वही दूसरी तरफ़ शिवराज सरकार द्वारा ख़ुद के निर्णयों का उल्लंघन कर कर्फ़्यू में भी विधानसभा सभा का सत्र आज बुलाने का देर रात में लिया गया निर्णय समझ से परे,
1/2— Office Of Kamal Nath (@OfficeOfKNath) March 24, 2020
Old friends turned foes, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor takes on BJP member Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Today’s prescription:
To prevent #Covid19 use hand sanitisers, to prevent damnation dip in the Ganga, to prevent criminal charges join BJP https://t.co/ItvI4l3urM— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) March 24, 2020
A tweet by a health care professional gave Congress ex-President Rahul Gandhi the perfect opportunity to express himself against the Modi government.
I am feeling sad, because this was completely avoidable. We had time to prepare. We should have taken this threat much more seriously and have been much better prepared. #CoronavirusPandemic https://t.co/dpRTCg8No9
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 24, 2020
Delhi Police employs some creative strategies to ensure people stay at home. Journalist Ashutosh and Niti Ayog CEO Amitabh Kant tell us how.
Delhi Police at its best! As Gr8 Ambassadors of #SocialDistancing ! #StaySafeStayHome pic.twitter.com/TZodmaBwAz
— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) March 24, 2020
"I am irresponsible citizen of the country coz m not at home." – Delhi Police deals violators with fine and this message. Impact on second day of Lockdown in Delhi is visible. @aajtak @IndiaToday pic.twitter.com/iZfxamtRVC
— ASHUTOSH MISHRA (@JournoAshutosh) March 24, 2020
Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram is awake to the dangers of coronavirus on the economic front — is the government?
Woke up to read the shocking news that, four days after the PM’s announcement, the promised Economic Task Force has not been set up by the government !
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 24, 2020
I know it is a misplaced priority but @amazonIN putting off book deliveries for the moment is sad. I guess I too will have to rely more and more on e-books. The longer the lockdown the more the personal adjustments we have to make. But I do fear for the publishing industry.
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) March 24, 2020
BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Kapil Mishra are more than pleased with the police disbanding the long-standing Shaheen Bagh anti-CAA protests.
सब तख्त उछाल कर फेंक दिए
सब टेंट उखाड़ कर फेंक दिये
हमने देख लिया
सबने देख लिया ?दिल्ली को मिल गयी आज़ादी
शाहीन बाग का फ्रॉड ख़तम
Fraud of Shaheen Bagh is over pic.twitter.com/AzV83HPViX— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) March 24, 2020
As agencies clear Shaheen Bagh and other illegal protest sites, never forget the cycle of violence and anarchy unleashed by the ‘peaceful protestors’, which had intellectual cover from some in the media and Left intelligentsia. But finally the idea of a ‘Muslim veto’ is dead…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 24, 2020
But journalist Saba Naqvi feels not all is lost in the cause.
Thank you ladies of #ShaheenBagh. You showed the world what women can achieve. https://t.co/Xqncz69XO1
— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) March 24, 2020
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle speaks for everyone who is now staying at home and needs daily provisions.
Am concerned that delivery boys of online groceries are not able to deliver. Our food supply chain can't get broken. While it is absolutely essential to be strict about people being allowed out, and I think we are doing a fine job, we need to be careful that deliveries continue
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 24, 2020
No, this is not a preview of a war-inspired movie but straight from the streets of New York.
https://twitter.com/DanyalGilani/status/1242342589510148098?s=20
Meanwhile US President Donald Trump is enraged by one of his favorite enemies, The New York Times.
This is the way the @nytimes finished a story on me. “You can see the contrast between the steady, assured, informed and strong leadership that VP Biden (Sleepy Joe) has shown, and the bungling, chaotic and dishonest start-stop approach that Mr. (not Pres.) Trump has shown….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2020
With inputs from Fiza Jha