Shining Torches Won’t Solve Problem: Rahul Gandhi on PM’s Plan

The prime minister urged people to switch off the lights at their homes and light lamps for 9 minutes on Sunday.

Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram and Shashi Tharoor have criticised Modi’s video message asking people to light diyas.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, 3 April, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his video message, tweeting, "Making people clap and shining torches in the sky isn't going to solve the problem."

The emphasis should be on increased resting instead, he said, attaching an infographic comparing India's rate of testing with that of other nations.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also criticised the PM, saying in a tweet that there was no vision of the future in it and it was just a feel-good moment "curated by India's photo-op Prime Minister".

The prime minister urged people to switch off the lights at home and light lamps, candles or turn on mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday, 5 April to display the country's "collective resolve" to defeat coronavirus.

In the video message of over 11 minutes, he also asked people to maintain the “lakshman rekha” of social distancing by staying indoors and not getting together in groups during the exercise.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut also took a jibe at PM Modi. Commenting on how people gathered to beat drums on ‘janata curfew’, he said he hopes people don’t “burn down their own houses”.

Congress leader P Chidambaram also hit out at the prime minister, saying that while “symbolism was important, serious thought to ideas and measures is equally important”. He criticised his failure to announce financial measures for the poor, whose livelihoods have been affected by the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that there was no relation between turning off lights and fighting coronavirus.

“I believe it and that's why I'll not light candle or turn off light but continue to fight COVID-19. If I'll not light candle. I'll be called anti-national, but I'm ready,” he said.

‘India Not An Event Management Company’

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took a sharp dig at PM Modi, saying that India was a country and not an “event management company.” He also tweeted that lives shouldn’t be reduced to “gimmicks.”

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan took a dig at Modi too and said he had expected solutions to the shortage of PPEs, instead he asked to shine a torchlight. Referring to his party’s symbol which is a torch, Haasan suggested that his party had already done that before.

"I had high expectations when it was said the Prime Minister was going to talk (and that it would be on) solutions to the shortage of protection equipment, free supply of essential commodities, the livelihood of the poor, future economic measures etc. But he is coming (referring) only today to the torchlight which we had taken in our hands a long time ago," Haasan said in a tweet.

‘People Left Disappointed’: NCP

Maharashtra minister and NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said it was expected Modi would speak about measures being taken to combat COVID-19, but people were instead told to light lamps.

“People were left quite disappointed after Modi’s speech,” the Minority Affairs Minister said.

“People were expecting he would talk about what measures the Centre has taken for combating the COVID-19 outbreak, steps being taken to give relief to the affected people. But were instead told to light up lamps,” added Malik.

In a tweet, Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut said, "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."

Prashant Kishor, on the other hand, said that a well-thought out plan guided by data and science was needed.

In his previous call for a janata curfew on 22 March, Modi had asked people to gather on their balconies and applaud those on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus. This led to people congregating on roads and violating social distancing norms.