Support for the Prime Minister’s call to observe a self-imposed curfew on Sunday has received widespread support of co-operators from across the country but those from the northern states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were the first to offer their effusive welcome to the idea.
Led by Biscomaun Chairman Dr Sunil Kumar Singh, hundreds of co-operators of Bihar and other states have vowed to follow PM’s words in letter and spirit. A WhatsApp group created in the wake of Bihar Co-op Conference, became a hotspot of support for the PM’s call to fight off the Coronavirus.
Dr Sunil Kumar Singh put up a message “Follow Janata Janata Curfew on 22/3/2020 at 7am -9pm” on social media, which received a huge endorsement from many co-operators including Maharashtra woman co-operator Surekha Khote, Chhattisgarh State Co-op Union Chairman Jhunmun Gupta, MP’s Alka Srivastava, NCUI’s Ved Prakash Setia, among others.
All these co-operators vowed to follow PM’s advice and restrict their movement to very essential activities. They thanked the PM for showing concern for the safety of fellow citizens.
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s call, Sahakar Bhararti leader and an IFFCO RGB member from UP Rajdutt Pandey 
wrote “Dear Prime Minister we assure you that all of us here in Uttar Pradesh would follow your words and would clap at 5 pm on Sunday for those who are risking their lives for us.” Pandey’s call was also lapped up by fellow co-operators who included Dr Pawanputra Badal, Pradeep and Uday Bhan Singh, among others.
Besides, several small and large urban cooperative banks have taken safety measures to keep their employees as well as customers away from the CoronaVirus.
Maharashtra based TJSB Sahakari Bank has posted a video on Social Media where it’s MD Sunil Sathe is saying, “Let us win the battle against the Corona virus. If you want to do payment do digitally and get safe from Coronavirus. A safe way to pay. A safer way to stay healthy. Use digital payment options and avoid social contact”, he added.
MP based Laxmi Bai Mahila Nagarik Cooperative Bank has taken several steps where employees wear their own masks while working and ask customers to wash their hands with sanitizers while entering the bank premises.
Sadly, despite PM’s call to leaders of different sectors from religious to social to others to spread the message, the top leadership of the cooperative world is yet to ask their followers to follow PM’s words.
On the Thursday evening at 8 pm PM addressed the nation on combating COVID-19 and asked people to self-
impose a ‘Janta Curfew’ on 22 March from 7 AM to 9 PM.
PM also asked citizens to thank the selfless service providers of the nation at 5 PM on 22 March. “COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force’ has been set-up to meet the economic challenges arising out of the pandemic”, PM said in his address to the nation.
On the occasion of ‘Navratra’, the Prime Minister made nine requests to the people, which was translated into Hindi by the Biscomaun Chairman for peoples’ benefit.
Prime Minister said that patience and resolve of all Indians is vital in fighting the global pandemic. He also urged that senior citizens above the age of 60 should not come out of their homes in the coming few weeks.
