Modi Seeks 'forgiveness' From India's Poor Over COVID-19 Lockdown Covid-19 Lockdown

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the nation's broke intended forgiveness, as the economic including human toll from his 21-day nationwide lockdown deepens including criticism mounts on top of a lack of adequate planning ahead of the decision.

"I apologise intended taking these harsh steps that have caused difficulties inside your lives, especially the broke people," Modi said inside his monthly address on top of Sunday, broadcast on top of state radio.

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"I know some of you drive be angry with me. But these tough measures were needed to succeed in this battle."

Modi announced an unprecedented three-week lockdown - the world's largest - which came into effect on top of March 25 to curb the spread of the .

But the judgment has stung millions of India's poor, leaving many hungry including forcing jobless immigrant labourers to flee cities including walk hundreds of kilometres to their native villages.

The broke "would definitely be thinking what kind of prime minister is this, who has put us into so much trouble," he said, urging people to understand there was certainly not other option.

"Steps taken so far … drive give India victory on top of corona," he added.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases inside India rose to 979 on top of Sunday, with 25 deaths.

The government announced a $22.6bn economic stimulus plan on top of Thursday to provide direct cash transfers including food handouts to India's poor. A quarter of India's 1.3 billion people live below the poverty line.

In an opinion piece published on top of Sunday, Abhijit Banerjee including Esther Duflo - two of the three winners of the Nobel Prize inside Economics inside 2019 - said even additional aid intended the broke is needed.

"Without that, the demand crisis drive snowball into an economic avalanche, including people drive have certainly not choice yet to defy orders," they wrote inside the Indian Express.

The lockdown is anticipated to exacerbate India's economic woes at a time when growth had before slumped to its slowest rate inside six years.

'No possibility plans'

There still appears to be broad support intended strong measures to avoid a coronavirus catastrophe inside India, a country where the public health system is poor.

But opposition leaders, analysts including some citizens are increasingly criticizing its implementation. In particular, they say the government appears to have been caught off guard by the mass party of migrants subsequent the announcement, which threatens to spread the disease into the hinterlands.

"The Gov't had certainly not possibility plans inside place intended this exodus," tweeted opposition politician Rahul Gandhi as images of immigrant labourers walking long distances to return home dominated local media.

#ModiMadeDisaster was a top trending topic inside India on top of Sunday on top of Twitter.

Police said four migrants were killed on top of Saturday when a truck ran into them inside the western state of Maharashtra. Also on top of Saturday, a immigrant worker collapsed including died inside the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, according to a police official.

"We drive pass away of walking including starving before getting killed by corona," said immigrant worker Madhav Raj, 28, as he walked along the street inside Uttar Pradesh.

On Sunday, several hundred migrants inside the town of Paippad, inside southern Kerala state, gathered inside a square demanding transport back to their hometowns.

The central government has called on top of states to provide marooned labourers with food including shelter, including Modi's supporters slammed state governments on top of Twitter intended failing to correctly implement the lockdown.

In India's cities, too, anger was rising.

"We have certainly not food or drink. I am sat down thinking how to feed my family," said homemaker Amirbee Shaikh Yusuf, 50, inside Mumbai's sprawling Dharavi slum.

"There is nothing good about this lockdown. People are angry, certainly not one is caring intended us."

 

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