Addressing his party workers on the 40th Foundation Day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which also marked the 13^th day of national lockdown in India in a bid to control the spread of Coronavirus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all party workers and the citizens of the country to use home-made face masks.

He also asked them to follow the guidelines and “help those in need and reaffirm the importance of social distancing”.

Modi also hailed the discipline shown by the people of the country in making the lockdown in the wake of Covid-19 a success.

“Whether it was the Janta Curfew, or the nationwide lockdown, all of us have firmly stood together. The maturity shown by 130 crore people of India is unprecedented. Nobody could have believed that people of this country will show such discipline,” he said.

He also said that the unity shown by the people was at display during the 9 pm-9 minute event on Sunday night.

“Yesterday, we got a glimpse of the sense of unity displayed by the people of the country. From villages, to big cities, countless lamps were lit to fight the darkness of coronavirus. These mega-steps taken by 130 crore Indians have prepared us for a long fight. Today, the direction and mission of the entire country is one,” said PM Modi.

He also appreciated the support given by state governments in fight against Covid-19 and said that the steps taken by India has set an example for the world.

“India was proactive at every step, and they were expedited with the help of state governments. The holistic approach taken by us has been hailed by various countries, as well as WHO,” he said.

Before his address, Modi also expressed his thoughts in a series of tweets.

“We mark our party’s 40th anniversary when India is battling COVID-19. I appeal to BJP Karyakartas to follow the set of guidelines from our party president JP Nadda-ji, help those in need and reaffirm the importance of social distancing. Let’s make India COVID-19-free,” PM Modi wrote.

“Whenever BJP has got the opportunity to serve, the party has focused on good governance and empowering the poor. In line with the Party’s ethos, our Karyakartas have worked hard to bring a positive difference in the lives of many and done great social service. We mark our party’s 40th anniversary when India is battling COVID-19. I appeal to BJP Karyakartas to follow the set of guidelines from our party president JP Nadda-ji, help those in need and reaffirm the importance of social distancing. Let’s make India COVID-19-free,” he added.