India, March 19 -- Prime Minister's address to the nation is insensitive to situation, barring fleeting mentions of economic bailout

Prime Minister Narendra Modi March 19, 2020 evening addressed the country on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, preceded by a massive outreach for the broadcast. The address had all characteristics Modi mentions: '130 crore Indians', 'Indian culture', and 'participate in nation building'.

And at the end of his speech, it turned out to be another Modi-type performance event, though in two dimensions.

Modi has requested for a "people's curfew" on March 22, though without any rationality for a pandemic when distancing and containment have been the norms now.

There is no stated reason for choosing a ...