India will be united in fight against coronavirus outbreak: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to India’s long tradition of “collaboration for creation” on Friday to say that the country will remain united in facing the challenge emerging out of the outbreak of novel coronavirus in large parts of the world.

Delivering his speech at the Economic Times Global Business Summit, PM Modi described coronavirus as a “big challenge”. “Coronavirus is a big challenge that has come and economic experts consider it to be a big challenge for the financial world. Today, we will get together to face this challenge,” the PM said, adding that the idea of collaboration for creation is very old, but extremely relevant. “Every year, new challenges come to test our spirit,” he said.

The Prime Minister also took jibes at his political adversaries even as sporadic protests have erupted in parts of India against the Citizenship Amended Act and the proposed National Register of Citizenship (NRC).

Modi tried to draw attention to the contradictions within his opponents.

“There are people who consider themselves as champions of gender justice. But the same people oppose our law to end triple talaq. People who give sermon to the entire world on giving shelters to refugees, the same people oppose the CAA law which is made for giving shelter to refugees,” Modi said.

“People who talk day and night about constitution, the same people oppose the imposing the Constitution in J&K and removal of a temporary law such as Article 370. People every day, talk about justice, they pose question on the intent of the SC if their judgments don’t favour them,” he said, adding that while others prefer status quo and consider inaction as a form of action, nation-building for the government is not a matter of convenience.

“You must have heard Ram charit Manas. It’s easy to give suggestions to others, but difficult to implement them,” he said.