PM Modi said from midnight, the entire country will be in lockdown for 21 days (File)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his second 8 pm address on the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, called for a 21-day complete lockdown in the country. PM Modi urged everyone to stay at home for the next three weeks to break the chain of coronavirus infection.
"From midnight, the entire country will be in lockdown, total lockdown. To save India, to save its every citizen, you, your family... every street, every neighbourhood is being put under lockdown," he declared. "Forget about leaving home in the next 21 days... If you cross the Lakshman Rekha, you will invite the virus home," PM Modi said in his second address to the nation in a week.
Welcoming his decision to lock down the country to battle the spread of coronavirus that has infected over 4 lakh and killed over 17,000 globally, politicians, actors and sportsmen took to the micro-blogging app Twitter.
Senior Congress leader and parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor tweeted that he is "please that Prime minister Narendra Modi heeded to the calls of many of us for more than a week to #LockdownNow."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, often at loggerheads with the prime minister and his party BJP, welcomed the lockdown call and tweeted in Hindi: "The 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister is very important to prevent the corona from spreading." He also assured everyone in Delhi that "there will be no reduction in the supply of essential items for the next 3 weeks. In this difficult time, your every need will be taken care of."
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who took oath as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister on Monday after his predecessor Kamal Nath resigned in the face of a floor test, urged everyone to "dedicate yourselves to fight the epidemic".
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal wrote: The 21 days lockdown is the only way we can break the cycle of #COVID19outbreak. I stand in solidarity with the Hon'ble PM and urge all to stay indoors."
Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot tweeted his support for the "PM's decision to implement a 21 day lockdown across India".
Actor Shahid Kapoor urged his followers on Twitter to "be at home. Stay safe. 21 days. Will pass".
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli said, "Social distancing is the only cure for COVID-19."
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote on Twitter: We are now at a collective turning point, where we must stop, listen & help the government implement the 21 days all India lockdown. The time of great fear requires solidarity, humanity, sacrifice & hope. Not hysteria & rumour mongering."
Actress Taapsee Pannu hoped that at the "end of this lockdown we will surely have a reason and time to celebrate".
Amitabh Bachchan penned a poem in support of the 21-day lockdown and tweeted urging people to follow the order of the prime minister.
After the prime minister announced the 21-day lockdown, Swara Bhasker, whose family lives in Delhi, tweeted: I wanna go home.