No vision of future, just feel-good moment curated by 'Photo-Op PM': Shashi Tharoor on Narendra Modi's video message

Opposition on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for exhorting people to light candles on Sunday at 9:00 p.m., saying they had expected him to announce a second financial package to alleviate the pain and anxieties of the people.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor described Modi as “Pradhan Showman” and a “Photo-Op Prime Minister”, while former Finance Minister P Chidambaram advised the prime minister to listen to the opposition and to the wise counsel of epidemiologists and economists.

Listened to the Pradhan Showman. Nothing about how to ease people’s pain, their burdens, their financial anxieties. No vision of the future or sharing the issues he is weighing in deciding about the post-lockdown. Just a feel-good moment curated by India’s Photo-Op PrimeMinister!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 3, 2020

“What we expected from you today was FAP II (Financial Action Plan), a generous livelihood support package for the poor, including the categories of the poor who were completely ignored by Nirmala Sitharaman on March 25,” Chidambaram said.

“Turn out lights and come on balconies? Get real Mr Modi. Give India fiscal package worth 8-10 per cent of GDP,” Trinamool Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra said..

This is no accident: the PM spoke on Ram Navami at 9 am for 9 mins, asked us to light diyas & candles on 5/4 at 9 pm for 9 mins. He is invoking all the auspicious elements Hinduism associates with number 9. Back to Ram Bharose?! #COVID19 must be more serious than we thought!

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 3, 2020

“This is no accident: the PM spoke on Ram Navami at 9 am for 9 mins, asked us to light diyas & candles on 5/4 at 9 pm for 9 mins. He is invoking all the auspicious elements Hinduism associates with number 9. Back to Ram Bharose?! #COVID19 must be more serious than we thought,” Tharoor said.

The opposition leaders, remarks came after Modi gave a pep talk to the people under lock down and urged people to light a candle or “diya” on April 5 at 9 p.m. for nine minutes to dispel the darkness and gloom brought about by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus