PM’s call to light lamps: Citizens express dismay at overreaction from people, insensitivity towards situation

Citizens across the country lit up diyas, candles and flashed torchlight from mobile phones in a symbolic gesture of solidarity following the Prime Minister's call. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday urged the people to switch off the lights of their homes and light up lamps, candles or mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on April 5 to display the country's "collective resolve" to defeat coronavirus.

Much before the designated time of 9 pm, people switched off lights at their homes while lamps and candles lit up the streets as people stood in their balconies and at entrance doors in unison.

Fireworks, thalis, whistles and police sirens were heard. At some places, Hindu devotional songs, mantras and national anthem were also played.

This did not go down too well with many people, several of whom took to Twitter to express their disapproval and dismay at overreaction by people and their insensitivity towards the situation in the country due to the pandemic.

Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai posted:

Some people in my area now bursting crackers. What kind of utter nonsense is this. You have singularly mocked at PM’s appeal: this is not bloody Diwali but a solemn occasion. Spend money you just did on crackers on meals for the poor. Absolutely shameful. Sorry, just not done!

Another journalist, Saahil Murli Menghani posted:

I am seeing some people on roads who are bursting fire-crackers. Dear Delhi, when did the PM ask you to do this? Idea was to light a diya, say a prayer & not to pollute the air. Aren't crackers burnt to celebrate? What are you celebrating? Lack of proper facilities for doctors?

Here is a compilation of some other reactions from the bemused Twitterati:

A user reported that burning of crackers even led to a fire in his area:

The overall death toll in the country due to the novel coronavirus pandemic rose to 83 and the cases climbed to 3,577 on Sunday after 505 new infections were reported in the past 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India has been on a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus pandemic that has claimed over 65,000 lives globally since the epidemic first emerged in China in December.