NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s brief address to the nation and asked him to focus on helping the poor amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
In his address, Modi had appealed to the people to switch off all lights at home at 9 pm on Sunday (April 5) and light candles, diyas or use flashlights to mark the united fight against coronavirus outbreak.
Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor was among the first to react saying how he felt after hearing 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 PrimeMinister!" he tweeted.
Former union minister P Chidambaram called for steps to boost growth and said “serious thought to ideas and measures” was as important as symbolism. "Dear @narendramodi. We will listen to you and light diyas on April 5. But, in return, please listen to us and to the wise counsel of epidemiologists and economists," he said in a tweet.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut mocked the appeal, saying he hoped that the people do not end up burning down their houses.