'Won't Light Diya, Stop The Gimmick': Congress' Prem Chandra Mishra Questions PM Modi On Delay In Lockdown

Member of the Bihar Legislative Council and AICC media panellist, Prem Chandra Mishra tweeted his reactions on the Prime Minister’s address, by questioning the month-long delay month in enforcing a lockdown

Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra

New Delhi: Congress reacted strongly against the appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had asked the nation on Friday to light diyas and candles on 5^th April, 9pm as a sign of solidarity. PM Modi had addressed the nation on Friday morning, praising the determination of the country during the lockdown. He also appealed to every citizen to switch off all lights for nine minutes and light up lamps or torch or cell phone flashlights on Sunday at 9 pm for 9 minutes Member of the Bihar Legislative Council and AICC media panelist, Prem Chandra Mishra came down hard instantly and tweeted his reactions on the Prime Minister’s address, by questioning the month-long delay month in enforcing a lockdown. Mishra questioned why the prime minister did not heed to alerts by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and enforce a lockdown a month earlier. He also considers such events are unnecessary and asked how will the homeless or those living in houses without a balcony participate in the event? Mishra also tweeted that he will not be turning off lights or lighting diyas on 5^th and that the prime minister needs to answer why he did not listen to Gandhi’s suggestion. He said the April 5 event is nothing but an event management gimmick. "I don't mean to break the country's resolve in fighting against Coronavirus. Entire country earlier supported by clapping and clanging plates. Can we now fight by lighting lamps and not taking adequate measures. My point is Rahul Gandhi's warning was ignored by the government. Instead of providing essential medical supplies to states, the government is exporting them to other countries. I feel PM Modi's message is only an event management tactic," Prem Candra Mishra told ABP News via video conferencing . The prime minister had said in his video message that lighting lamps will be a testimony to our unity as our country and our collective determination to fight the battle against corona. Mishra in his tweets argued why Modi feels that country needs to light diyas to prove its solidarity. He reiterated the need for the prime minister to explain his delay in enforcing a lockdown to curtail the spread of the virus. Subtly pointing at the massive migration of daily wage earners and farmer distress  during the lockdown, Mishra shared a video clip of the speech from the film Gandhi by Richard Attenborough in which Mahatma Gandhi played by Ben Kingsley appeals to leaders to connect with the common man and rural population to understand real India.