On Wednesday Prime Minister Modi met with political representatives of parties who have four or more members in the Parliament via video conference.
Addressing the MPs the Prime Minister said that the current situation in the country was akin to a ‘social emergency’. A 21-day lockdown had been declared in the country and Prime Minister Modi indicated that as things currently stand, it would be difficult to remove the pan-India lockdown on April 14th at one go.
According to reports, Modi told floor leaders of political parties that are represented in Parliament that it may not be possible to lift the lockdown by the 14th.
"I will discuss this with the Chief Minister of various states and other offcials, but based on the tune that is being heard right now, removing the lockdown will not be very simple," the Prime Minister can be heard saying.
Many of the leaders who attended the meeting later spoke to the press or revealed details about the same to media organisations.
"Prime Minister Modi made it clear that lockdown is not being lifted and also that the life pre-corona and post-corona will not be same," Biju Janata Dal leader Pinaki Misra told PTI.
Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay however appears to have gone a step further. A clip from Modi's meeting, shows Bandhopadhyay listening to Modi, reportedly from the Party's headquarters in Kolkata.
The Prime Minister and his team is not too happy with this development. According to a report by The Hindu, the PMO in a statement said selectively leaking such information was "avoidable"'.
The Prime Minister's office said that Modi has been consulting many leaders as the nation seeks to address and counter the crisis posed by the novel coronavirus.
"Selectively leaking the content of such consultations, as seen today, runs counter to their spirit and objectives and is avoidable," the report quoted the PMO statement as saying.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a 21-day lockdown towards the end of March in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. That lockdown is in place till April 14. Many states have requested that the lockdown be extended.
India has recorded over 5,200 cases, as per government data. 149 people have passed away.
