Addressing BJP workers on the occasion of the party's 40th anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 6 April, brought up the fight against COVID-19, saying, "India's efforts to combat coronavirus have set an example."
“We are among countries which understood this pandemic's seriousness and took one decision after another in time to combat it,” he said, terming the fight against the disease “no less than a war” and asking BJP workers to donate as well as encourage others to contribute to the PM-CARES Fund.
With India being under a 21-day lockdown announced by the PM to curb the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 4,000 people so far, Modi said that maturity shown by the people during this lockdown was "unprecedented".
Nobody could have imagined that people will show such discipline and sense of service in a huge country like India, he said.
"We got to see our collective strength on Sunday evening," he added, referring to the lighting of candles, diyas, and torchlights across the nation as an expression of unity in the fight against the pandemic.
“It is going to be a long haul. We do not have to tire, our resolve and mission are to emerge victorious in fight against this pandemic.”PM Modi, as quoted by PTI
‘Help the People in Need’
Earlier on Monday, Modi urged BJP workers to continue with the practice of social distancing while helping the needy amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister reminded his party members of the need to come together as a nation to fight the battle against coronavirus.
“BJP’s 40th foundation day has come at a time when the entire country is fighting the COVID-19 battle. I would request all the party workers to follow the rules and regulations set by party President JP Nadda and follow social distancing and helping people in need. Let us all fight together to eradicate COVID-19 from India,” PM Modi’s tweet read.
BJP President’s Directives
Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda asked party workers to give up one meal to show solidarity with people facing hardships during the ongoing lockdown to mark the organisation's foundation day on Monday.
Nadda issued a set of directives to party workers, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted, urging them to follow these guidelines.
Nadda has urged party workers to provide food packets to the needy, distribute home-made face covers and get signatures of people to express gratitude to emergency staff, from health professionals to sanitation workers and police besides bank and postal employees among others, working during the lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
They must maintain social distancing, he said.
“All BJP Karyakartas (workers) to give up one meal on our Foundation Day as a way to show solidarity with people facing hardships during the lockdown,” one of his directions said.
The party workers were asked to provide food packets to six people under the #FeedtheNeedy programmme.
"In the next one week, put a system in place where we can provide two homemade face covers to each person at our booth. We should circulate videos of preparation and distribution of such face covers with #WearFaceCoverStaySafe," the guidelines added
BJP karyakartas should encourage 40 others to donate Rs 100 each to PM-CARES Fund, it said.
“In every booth, they should contact 40 houses to get their signatures on thank you letters to emergency staff,” he said.
Nadda also asked them to read literature available in their house about the party and its senior leaders.
The BJP was founded on this day in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged with the Janata Party to put up a united fight against the Indira Gandhi-led Congress in the 1977 Lok Sabha polls, held after the Emergency.
(With inputs from PTI)
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