AGARTALA / NEW DELHI, April 5 (TIWN): BJP MLA Sudip Roy Barman has slammed critics who are criticizing PM Modi for his light-up movement, calling people to switch off lights at 9 pm for 9 minutes and to light a candle / lamp / torch at 9.9 pm.

Sudip Barman said, it already has an astrological reason but those who do not believe in Astrology or in God, they can join the movement for unity.

Barman was addressing in a programme which he organized to donate essential commodities among masses who are suffering from lockdown.

Chief Minister Biplab Deb has called people to light up candle, lamp or torch against COVID-19 today at 9.9 PM but he reminded to keep the social distances at any cost. On the other side, ruling party backed unions, organizations have distributed candles among people asking them to light up at 9.9 PM, which shortly erupted criticism due to unmaintained social distances.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reminded the country to switch off lights for nine minutes at 9 p.m.

On Twitter, Modi said "9 pm (-) 9 minutes".  Few minutes later, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also tweeted the same -- "tonight at 9 o''clock nine minutes".  Modi on April 3 asked the countrymen to light lamps or candles for nine minutes at 9 p.m. on Sunday.  "On April 5 (Sunday), at 9 p.m., turn off all the lights in your homes, stand at your doors or in your balconies, and light candles or diyas, torches or mobile flashlights for 9 minutes," Modi said, adding this is to challenge the darkness caused by the coronavirus.  He said this is also to awaken the superpower of 130 crore Indians.  The country is under a lockdown till April 14 due to coronavirus.  So far, close to 3,400 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the country with 77 deaths.