Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday wished the people on the first day of the nine-day Navratri festival, hoping for a safe, healthy and prosperous planet as the country and the world fight the coronavirus disease (Covid-19 ), which has affected and killed millions around the world.
“Many congratulations on the auspicious festival of Navratri. May jagat janani Ma Jagadamba bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all of you. Jai Mata Di! “PM Modi tweeted.
The Prime Minister also invoked the Goddess Shailaputri, that is, the daughter of the mountains and one of the nine manifestations of Durga, who is worshiped on the first day of Navratri.
“Pranams to Maa Shailputri on the 1st of Navratri. With your blessings, may our planet be safe, healthy and prosperous. May your blessings give us strength to bring about positive change in the lives of the poor and oppressed, ”he added.
Authorities and health experts have urged people to strictly follow Covid-19 guidelines during the upcoming festival season, saying non-compliance with the rules could lead to an increase in cases in the coming weeks as the country celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in October and Diwali and Chhatth in November.
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“If we fail to follow Covid-19 guidelines during festivals, then the crown can again assume a dangerous shape and become a big problem for us. This is the truth, in any religion, no dharmic leader will say that people’s lives should be put at risk to celebrate festivals. No God has said that one needs to go to puja pandals to worship, ”said Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
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On Friday, India’s Covid-19 count rose to 7,370,468, increasing by more than 100,000 since the beginning of this month, according to the Union Health Ministry. The death toll in the country, which is the second most affected in the world, has risen to 112,161, the Health Ministry dashboard showed on Friday.
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