From Kashmir to Kanyakumari it was the unity of India shining through at 9 pm for 9 minutes to ward off the difficult COVID – 19 times!

Just a short while ago at 9 pm Indian citizens joined in wholeheartedly to support the lights off and candles on movement in response to the recent appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This was a second demonstration of the solidarity of Indian citizens in recent times. The first one came through during the Janata Curfew on the 22^nd of March when citizens applauded the efforts of the front line soldiers, mainly the medical staff who were battling COVID- 19 by clapping their hands or banging utensils. The catastrophe of the Coronavirus has taken a toll of lives worldwide and infected a huge number of people which is increasing day by day. In India the recent figures show total positive cases at 3577 and a death toll of 83 there have been 505 new infections in the past 24 hours. This pandemic has taken a toll of more than 65000 lives globally.

 In these difficult times and during the current ongoing 21 day lockdown period the PM appealed to the citizens to switch off all their household lights today on the 5^th of April and at 9 pm for 9 minutes light a candle, “ diya “ or simply switch on their cell phone lights or torches and shine it. The PM had said if the collective energy of 130 crore people shines through it will create positive energy. 

The PM in a bid to lead from the front shared a picture of his lighting the lamp and standing in a pensive mood, looking at it in silence. The PM’s mother Hirabehn also lighted a lamp. Political leaders, Nitin Gadkari, Ravishankar Prasad, Amit Shah, Prakash Javadekar, Yogi Adityanath and Chief Ministers of various States joined in along with the common man to support this initiative of the Hon. Prime Minister. 

Images from various parts of the country showed people lighting lamps and “diyas “ with great enthusiasm. People could be heard chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai ““Go Corona Go “loudly with a conviction that these difficult times would indeed be over soon. India was shining brightly at 9 pm today with the collective energy of the Indians and the fervent and silent appeal of “ Tamaso Ma Jyotir gamaya “ – from darkness lead me to light !