In a major decision amid mounting concerns over the novel coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a nationwide lockdown for the next 21 days, asserting that social distancing is the only way to contain the deadly virus. The order, which puts nearly one-fifth of the world’s population under lockdown, will come into force at 12 am on Tuesday night.
"To save India, to save every Indian, there will be a complete ban on people from stepping outside their houses from 12 midnight today," he said while making a fervent appeal to the countrymen not to cross the 'lakshman rekha' of their homes in the next three weeks.
“With folded hands, I appeal to people not to go out of their homes,” Modi said in his second address to the nation in less than a week.
Emphasising the gravity of the situation, the prime minister warned: “If we are not able to manage the upcoming 21 days (of nationwide lockdown), we will be pushed back 21 years.”
He said the decision of lockdown will have an economic cost but saving people's lives is of the paramount interest to his government.
"Some people are under the misconception that social distancing is only for those infected with coronavirus... but they should understand that this for everyone because it is important to break the cycle," Modi said, asserting that the experts and the experience of countries fighting the deadly virus make it clear that social distancing is the only way to combat the disease.
The lockdown will be like "curfew" and more stringent than the ''janata curfew'', which the country had observed on Sunday, he said
"Covid-19 took 67 days to spread to one lakh people. To reach two lakh people, it took 11 days. But it took only four days to reach another lakh taking the total spread to three lakh," Modi said pointing out the study by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
"This is the reason why China, US, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Iran and other countries where the Covid-19 spread, the situation went out of control," he said.
A lockdown in most of the country was already in place till March 31, and Modi's announcement extended it everywhere and for two more weeks after this month.