GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to light candles on Sunday, 9 pm, to fight the darkness of coronavirus drew instantaneous reactions from many Guwahatians.
The PM was labelled as not being practical and instead melodramatic when everyone expected that he would address some serious concerns given the present emergency-like situation prevailing in the country.
City-based social activist and senior journalist Manjit Mahanta talking to G Plus said, “It is very disappointing that a Prime Minister would do such nautanki when the nation expected him to address some serious concerns with his 9 am video recorded speech.”
Mahanta further added that the Prime Minister should have explained what exactly the plans are for fighting the dreaded Covid-19 disease. Modi should have announced some packages for the poor and announcements for many other schemes were expected from him, the journalist expressed.
Not only the activists and general public but even his party members expressed disappointment.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member talking to G Plus understandably under conditions of anonymity said, “Even I am shocked at how a Prime Minister can say such a thing during this time of emergency.”
Modi’s speech also drew instant reactions from opposition in the country.
"Listened to the Pradhan Showman. Nothing about how to ease people's pain, their burdens, their financial anxieties. No vision of the future or sharing the issues he is weighing in deciding about the post-lockdown. Just a feel-good moment curated by India's Photo-Op Prime Minister!" tweeted Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
"Get real," raged Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, calling for a fiscal package to protect poor workers and a stop to "gagging real press."
Congress leader and former union minister P Chidambaram, in a series of tweets, called for steps to boost growth and said "serious thought to ideas and measures" was as important as symbolism.
Talking about the general public, a die-hard fan of Narendra Modi, Guwahati based businessman Kedar Nath said, “I woke up early and even woke my children up to watch the PM’s speech. My children started making fun of me after his speech as they were questioning me how lighting candles could fight the coronavirus.”
At this point in time, the Prime Minister of the country has clearly failed to ease the people’s agony during the emergency situation which the country is facing.
This is the second collective gesture that PM Modi has called for since his March 22 Janata Curfew, when millions came out onto their balconies, doorsteps and windows and clapped and clanged utensils to applaud those at the frontline in the fight against coronavirus, like doctors, nurses and civic staff.
BJP leader BL Santhosh slammed the criticism, saying PM Modi was "instilling confidence and hand-holding countrymen" like a guardian.
"Usual suspects are disappointed by PM's message. They want facts, figures and 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 crore people and most disruptive liberal ecosystem," Mr Santhosh tweeted.