Kamal Haasan Says PM's Latest Address Lacked Solutions to Issues Arising out of Coronavirus Pandemic

Chennai: Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Friday lamented Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video message to the nation lacked solutions to issues, including economy and 'shortage' of personal protection equipment, arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The actor-politician, who had welcomed the Janta curfew call given by Modi earlier, said he had high expectations from his address to the nation.

In his televised short address, Modi urged people to switch off lights in their homes at 9 pm for nine minutes on April 5 and light up lamps, candles, mobile flashlights to display the nation's collective spirit to defeat the coronavirus.

"I had high expectations when it was said the Prime Minister was going to talk... (and it would be on) solutions to the shortage of protection equipment, free supply of essential commodities, the livelihood of the poor, future economic measures etc," Haasan said in a tweet.

"But he is coming (referring) only today to the torch light which we had taken in our hands a long time ago," he said in an apparent reference to his party's symbol of battery torchlight.