New Delhi, April 4: Former Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi video message. Taking a jibe at PM Modi, the Gandhi scion said that clapping and shining torches isn't going to solve the problem. He said that India is not testing enough to fight the novel coronavirus. The COVID-19 positive cases in the country have climbed to 2,902, while the death toll has reached 68. PM Narendra Modi's 'Light-Up' Appeal: How Shashi Tharoor, P Chidambaram and Other Opposition Leaders Reacted.

"India is simply not testing enough to fight the Covid19 virus," Rahul Gandhi said, adding "Making people clap & shining torches in the sky isn't going to solve the problem." Switch Off All Lights, Light Candle, Diya, Torch or Mobile Phone Flash For 9 Minutes on Sunday at 9 PM to Beat The Darkness Brought by Coronavirus: PM Narendra Modi to India.

Rahul Gandhi's Tweet:

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also said there was no vision of the future in "April 5, 9 PM" exercise and was just a feel-good moment by PM Modi. "Listened to the Pradhan Showman. Nothing about how to ease people’s pain, their burdens, their financial anxieties. No vision of the future or sharing the issues he is weighing in deciding about the post-lockdown. Just a feel-good moment curated by India’s Photo-Op PrimeMinister!" he tweeted.

Shashi Tharoor's Tweet:

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad also took a jibe at PM Modi's "light up" appeal. "India invented a vaccine against coronavirus, there will be no shortage of masks, we stand by the doctors, no poor will have to sleep with an empty stomach. Such a speech was expected from Modi. But he decided to make an event of the crisis. Says...Light torch and switch off the lights. Don't fool the country so much," he said.

Jitendra Awhad's Tweet:

In a video message on Friday, PM Modi urged people to switch off the lights at homes and light up candles, lamps or mobile phone flashlights for nine minutes on Sunday, April 5, at 9 pm. He also urged people to maintain social distancing by staying at home during the exercise.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2020 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).