Amit Bishnoi
New Delhi: Answering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to show gratitude to health workers who are at the forefront of the coronavirus fight, people across the country came out clapping and beating utensils in unison.
People, locked in their homes for days because of the shutdown over the virus which has killed seven in the country, appeared in their balconies and porches minutes before 5 pm on Sunday, and tried to boost the morale of health personnel by drumming utensils and gongs. Clanging sounds rang in the air for minutes in several parts of the country.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Aditya Nath also rang the bell. Like other cities of the state, the people of Meerut city also vigorously clapped and drumming utensils in the roofs and balconies of their house at five o’clock in the evening.
Several people sang bhajans (religious songs) and shouted patriotic slogans to boost the morale of health workers.
The country is set to grind to a halt shortly as railway, metro and interstate bus services will be stopped to break the march of coronavirus, which infected close to 350 people.
The railways, which had cancelled more than 1000 trains, said it will shut passenger train services till March 31. Interstate buses and metro services would follow the same schedule. Several states, including Punjab and Rajasthan, have announced a complete lockdown that involves shutting down public transport, malls and shops.