Prime Minister Narendra Modi today extended the lockdown till May 3 and said any decision on easing restrictions in parts of the country would be taken after April 20, to keep in mind the difficulties of the poor. "After taking into account all suggestions, we have decided to extend the lockdown till May 3," PM Modi said in his 25-minute address.
Here's how the country reacted to the Prime Minister's big announcement:
"We have to be alert that there shall be no new corona hotspots. We have to be as careful as we have been all this while," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted.
"I support the announcement by @PMOIndia @narendraModi of #Lockdown extension. Can't discard the gains being made. But he should have also announced serious relief for those who cannot make ends meet. MNREGA payments, JanDhan accounts, GST dues to states,&aid to sweeten the pill," Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted.
I support the announcement by @PMOIndia @narendraModi of #Lockdown extension. Can't discard the gains being made. But he should have also announced serious relief for those who cannot make ends meet. MNREGA payments, JanDhan accounts, GST dues to states,&aid to sweeten the pill.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 14, 2020
"#PM, pl be assured all stakeholders wl do their duties. V wl strictly observe #LDown; wl wear mask; wl boost immunity; download arogya app; look after poor; not fire employees. After this: shd v pray? We want concrete palliatives 4these deprived classes &even 4middle india &MSMEs (sic)," Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi said.
#Pm address wo single specific and wo guidelines is like #Hamlet wo #Prince of #Denmark. Like #PM wo details! We want increased #GDP allocation; specific targeted monetary injections; #Keynesian spending; loosen #FMRB etc. not a single word!
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) April 14, 2020
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Delhi will fully implement PM's lockdown measures."
Delhi will fully implement PM's lockdown measures
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 14, 2020
"As the lockdown is extended till May 3, think of the millions of people like this poor starving man competing with dogs to collect spilt milk from the streets," lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said.
As the lockdown is extended till May 3, think of the millions of people like this poor starving man competing with dogs to collect spilt milk from the streets! https://t.co/lYvyFSXt75
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) April 14, 2020
"I am sure a difficult decision to extend lockdown to May 3rd but I believe the right decision. It is up to all of us to ensure that the PM does not have to extend it further. Please follow all the rules and discipline of lockdown. Stay Safe," Pawan Goenka, Managing Director of Mahindra & Mahindra, tweeted.
I am sure a difficult decision to extend lockdown to May 3rd but I believe the right decision. It is up to all of us to ensure that the PM does not have to extend it further. Please follow all the rules and discipline of lockdown. Stay Safe. @PMOIndia @MahindraRise
— Pawan K Goenka (@GoenkaPk) April 14, 2020
"Government has extended lockdown. Everyone must abide by these decisions no matter how harsh they may appear. We aren't testing nearly enough, so hotspots identification may not be based on complete data. More economic support for weaker sections is required now," former Lok Sabha MP Jayant Chaudhary wrote on Twitter.
Government has extended lockdown. Everyone must abide by these decisions no matter how harsh they may appear. We aren't testing nearly enough, so hotspots identification may not be based on complete data. More economic support for weaker sections is required now. #FightCovid19
— Jayant Chaudhary (@jayantrld) April 14, 2020
The total number of COVID-19 cases crossed the 10,000 mark today, with 339 deaths, according to the latest data from the Union Health Ministry.
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