India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had issued the 21-days national lockdown on March 25th for 6 days. However, the decision made a quarter of India’s 1.3 billion citizens panic and resulted in chaotic scenes in these days. The company and factories have shut down and most of the migrant workers are trying to get home to their far distance villages without enough money and food. It caused that Delhi’s homeless shelters overflow. More and more people are asking for help. 

The main transportation service are suspended. Some people have been forced to walk hundreds of kilometers to reach home. The government declared to provide a $22.6 billion economic stimulus plan on Thursday to give food handouts and cash transfers to the poor area. 

“I apologize for taking these harsh steps that have caused difficulties in your lives, especially the poor people,” Modi said in his monthly address on Sunday, broadcast on state radio.

 

Reference:
Modi seeks ‘forgiveness’ from India’s poor over COVID-19 lockdown
Social distancing is a privilege of the middle class. For India’s slum dwellers, it will be impossible