"World Markets Collapse... But Hey, Hindu Muslim," Tweets Chetan Bhagat

Author Chetan Bhagat today said that India's "weak economy" needs "immediate attention" as world markets collapse amid coronavirus outbreak, while suggesting in the same breath that people in the country are distracted with meaningless issues.

In a series of tweets, as he apparently referred to the recent violence in northeast Delhi over controversial citizenship law, the 45-year-old author wrote: "World markets collapse as Corona hits. Global demand will fall. India already suffering a weak economy will find it v difficult to recover. Jobs growth all set to suffer. Immediate attention needed. But hey, Hindu Muslim Hindu Muslim. (sic)."

"But you guys did this.But you guys did that. What about that guy? What about this guy? Hindu Muslim Hindu Muslim all day long. Meanwhile, you guys, we guys, that guy, this guy, all of us have a terrible economy and is going to get worse. Wait, but what about..," he further wrote.

"Average likes on my tweets on economy: 700. Average likes on my tweets on any random Hindu Muslim thing: 10,000. We deserve it. We get what we truly want, after all," his last post read. 

World markets collapse as Corona hits.
Global demand will fall.
India already suffering a weak economy will find it v difficult to recover.
Jobs growth all set to suffer. Immediate attention needed.

But hey, Hindu Muslim Hindu Muslim.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) February 28, 2020

But you guys did this.
But you guys did that.
What about that guy?
What about this guy?
Hindu Muslim Hindu Muslim all day long.

Meanwhile, you guys, we guys, that guy, this guy, all of us have a terrible economy and is going to get worse.

Wait, but what about...

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) February 28, 2020

Average likes on my tweets on economy: 700

Average likes on my tweets on any random Hindu Muslim thing: 10,000

We deserve it. We get what we truly want, after all.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) February 28, 2020

His remarks came after violence broke out in northeast Delhi earlier this week over Citizenship (Amendment) Act between groups backing and opposing the law and gradually spiraled, killing at least 42 people and injuring over 350.

Amid massive protests against the CAA across the country, critics have been skeptical of the contentious law, which according to them if used with proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) - will be used to target Muslims.  The government says CAA, which for the first time makes religion test for citizenship in India, will help minorities from Muslim-dominated neighbours if they fled India because of religious persecution.

Mr Bhagat, who often makes remarks on country's political matters, last month said that NRC "would cause secular harassment to all", the moment it's executed, and "must be shelved".

This morning, Mr Bhagat commented on the coronavirus outbreak. The virus has so far mainly battered China, causing nearly 80,000 infections and almost 2,800 deaths, according official Chinese figures. It has spread to another 46 countries, where about 3,700 cases and 57 deaths have been reported, according to the WHO, news agency Reuters reported.

In India, domestic stock markets suffered sharp losses on Friday with benchmark indices hitting their lowest levels recorded since mid-October, after global markets slumped on fears the coronavirus outbreak will lead to recession in major economies.

With new infections reported around the world now surpassing those in China, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nations should prepare. "This virus has pandemic potential," Tedros said. "This is not a time for fear. This is a time for taking action to prevent infection and save lives now.

There is no cure for the coronavirus, which can lead to pneumonia, and a vaccine may take up to 18 months to develop.

Analysts say the increase in the number of coronavirus cases highlighted the risk of world economy taking a bigger blow than anticipated earlier.