PM announces 21-day lockdown: Here’s what Narendra Modi urged India to do

Addressing the nation for the second time this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day lockdown beginning March 25 at 0000 hours. The Prime Minister criticised citizens who haven’t been taking the lockdown over the past two days seriously.

He stressed confidence that India’s three-week lockdown will help the country battle coronavirus pandemic successfully and emerge a healthy nation on the other side of the lockdown. He asked state governments to step up and make healthcare the priority.

Here’s what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation on March 24, 2020.

1) Most empowered nations have become helpless in the face of Coronavirus pandemic. Despite all efforts, the challenges have been increasing as Coronavirus is spreading rapidly.
2) The result of a two-month study of these countries shows that social distancing is the only option to combat coronavirus. There is no other way to remain safe from coronavirus
3) We have to break the cycle of infection. Social distancing isn’t only meant for those infected. It is meant for everyone including the Prime Minister
4) Irresponsible[cg1] attitude of few can risk the lives of many and will jeopardise the nation.

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5) It is impossible to fathom the cost that India may have to pay if such irresponsible behaviour continues.
6) For the past two days, many parts of the country have been locked down, initiatives of state governments have to be taken seriously
7) Beginning midnight, there will be a 21-day complete lockdown in the entire country. There will be a total ban on movement in each part of the country for three weeks. It is stringent than Janta Curfew. This is part of a decisive battle against coronavirus.
8) No doubt, there will be an economic implication of this lockdown, but citizen safety is the priority for the government and its machinery.
9) As per health experts, 21 days is most crucial to managing this pandemic. If these three weeks aren’t managed the country will be set back by 21 years.
10) Today’s nationwide lockdown has essentially drawn a Laxman Rekha outside your homes.
11) A single step out of the house can bring coronavirus pandemic to your homes.
12) Experts say, coronavirus symptoms take days to show up, and the affected individual infects many.
13) WHO says one individual can infect several hundreds in a matter of a few weeks. It took 67 days for the number of coronavirus affected persons to reach 1 lakh in the world. Thereafter, the next 1 lakh infections came in just 11 days. The next 1 lakh infections happened in the next four days.
14) The ray of hope comes from the citizens of those nations which have been able to contain coronavirus by being in their homes. We should stay at home, no matter what.
15) We shouldn’t cross the boundaries of our homes, right from the prime minister to each citizen.
16) Our actions today will determine the containment of the disaster. It is time for patience and discipline.
17) We should stand by our resolve as long as there is a lockdown in the country.
18) Pray for the people who are putting their lives at risk in the line of duty. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, pathologists are striving 24x7 to help those affected.
19) Pray for those who are working endlessly to sanitise your neighbourhood.
20) We are making every effort to ensure a continuous supply of essential goods. The state and central governments are working together with many organisation to help the poor.
The government has taken a number of decisions based on the suggestion of WHO and experts. The govt has made an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore for healthcare infrastructure to battle coronavirus. Healthcare should be the priority.