New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI) Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to people to light candles on April 5 and display India's collective resolve to defeat COVID-19, Left parties asked the government on Friday to focus on "scientific measures" to fight the disease.
Modi urged people on Friday to switch off the lights of their homes and light candles, lamps or turn on the flashlights of their mobile phones for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday to "end the darkness" of coronavirus.
Reacting to it, the Communist Party of India (CPI) said the pre-recorded visual statement of the prime minister was "quite disappointing".
"The entire nation is geared up united and showed its strength to fight and contain the deadly coronavirus. The prime minister says that to defeat this darkness, we have to show the light in all directions. Days and nights are natural processes in the universe as much as light and darkness," it said in a statement.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury took a dig at Modi's timing of the announcement.
"For a 21-day country-wide lockdown, there was a 4 hour notice. For clapping 2 days, and now for candles a 2.5 days notice. The Centre must act and be accountable on specific points that merit immediate attention," he said in a tweet.
The CPI said people need scientific measures such as vaccines, medicines and other immediate health projects to fight the deadly virus.
"Many medical facilities have to be created all over the country. Special efforts should be taken to extent adequate support to doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff who are on duty," it said.
The CPI(M) also urged the prime minister to convey scientific facts.
"Curb fake news and communicate scientific facts about the pandemic. The central government should urgently intervene to ensure that this fight against COVID-19 is a fight in which all of us are united and determined to defeat it," it said in a statement.
