New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight announced a 21-day ‘curfew-like’ nationwide lockdown, warning that India could go back 21 years and many families would be devastated if this step was not taken to contain the spread of coronavirus.
In his second televised address to the nation in five days, he asked people of India to take note of the situation in developed nations like the US and Italy, which have not been able to deal with the challenge posed by coronavirus despite having world-class healthcare infrastructure.
On a day India reported 519 positive cases, Modi emphasised that there is no medical cure for the pandemic and the only way to deal with the dangerous challenge is social distancing to snap the chain of human-to-human transmission.
Making requests repeatedly to the people with folded hands, the Prime Minister highlighted how fast the virus was spreading by quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO) data, according to which first 1 lakh cases globally were recorded in 67 days, the next 1 lakh cases were recorded in 11 days and the next 1 lakh cases were recorded in just 4 days.
To drill in the danger posed by coronavirus, he said the lockdown should be seen as ‘lakshman rekha’, a line, which if crossed, can cause huge problems.
“We have to act now. From midnight tonight, there will be complete lockdown in the entire country… The lockdown will be enforced from states to districts and to mohallas… It will be like curfew.. It will be tougher than ‘Janta Curfew’ observed on March 22,” Modi said.
He said the government had to resort to such a step because saving each life is the top priority. He also urged the states to make healthcare their top priority.
The Prime Minister said 21 days, or three weeks, was a long duration but this step was required as otherwise the country will go back 21 years.
“It is time for patience and restraint,” he underscored, while making appeal to the people.
“If we do not act now, the nation may have to pay a huge price, which cannot even be imagined… Many families will be devastated,” the Prime Minister said.
He pointed out that the pandemic had become uncontrollable in several countries like China, US, UK, Italy and Iran.
“We have no option but to take this step. Our only hope is the countries which enforced complete lockdown and social distancing… You have to save yourselves, your family members, your society as well as your nation,” Modi said.
“Our actions now will determine our future…I understand 21 days is a long duration but for your safety and that of your families, this is the only option available… ‘Jaan hai to jahaan hai’ (we can see the world only if we live)… I am confident that after this, we will emerge victorious,” he said.
He also said that the government had earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for improving the country’s health infrastructure and that efforts were being made to ensure that the poor do not suffer because of the lockdown.
The Prime Minister also urged people not to believe rumors and avoid taking any medicines without consulting a doctor.
