Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a video of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s veteran leader, reciting one of his famous poems to remind people to light diyas on Sunday.
“Aao, phir se diya jalayein (Come, let’s light a lamp once again),” PM Modi tweeted.
He also shared a video of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reciting the poem ‘Aao Phir Se Diya Jalayein’ from a stage.
The BJP had also tweeted the same clip of Vajpayee to remind people to light lamps on Sunday night.
“Let’s light the lamp again … On April 5 at 9 pm, turn off all lights in the house for 9 minutes, light a candle, lamp, flashlight or mobile flashlight on the door or balcony. Together we have to challenge the darkness of the corona crisis,” it had tweeted in Hindi along with the video on Friday.
The Prime Minister had on April 3 urged people to switch off the lights in their homes and light up diyas, candles or flashlights of their mobile phones for nine minutes at 9pm on Sunday, April 5, to display the nation’s collective spirit to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.
“On April 5, on Sunday, I want 9 minutes from all you, at 9pm. Listen carefully, on April 5, at 9pm, turn off all the lights in your homes, stand at your doors or in your balconies, and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes. I repeat, light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights, for 9 minutes at 9pm on the April 5,” Modi had said on April 3.
“At that time, if you have turned off all the lights of your homes, and each one of us in all directions has lit a diya; we will experience the superpower of light, clearly illuminating the common purpose we are all fighting for. In that light, in that lustre, in that radiance, let us resolve in our minds that we are not alone, that no one is alone! 130 crore Indians are committed, through a common resolve!” he said.
He had also cautioned people against gathering at a place and not to cross the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ of social distancing, which he reiterated is the only way to break the chain of coronavirus infection.
The Prime Minister had asked people to clap, blow conch shells and ring bells at 5pm for five minutes on March 22 to encourage the frontline workers and essential service providers who are working during the coronavirus pandemic.
Hundreds of thousands of people had responded to the Prime Minister’s call.
India has been on a 21-day lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of coronavirus. The country has seen a rise in the cases of Covid-19 since then and 3072 people, including 212 recoveries and 75 deaths, have contracted the coronavirus disease till Sunday morning.
