Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal during the last leg of his visit to the Barak Valley on Wednesday met religious leaders at Silchar and urged to avoid social gathering.
He appealed to them to rise in unison to deal with the extraordinary situation arising out of COVID19 pandemic.
The meeting was held at the Cachar deputy commissioner’s office premises at Silchar.
Sonowal during his interaction with the religious leaders said COVID19 is caused by a novel strain of virus which knows no religion, no community, no caste, no creed and no colour of skin.
He suggested that everybody irrespective of religious affiliation should present a brave and dedicated front to defeat the surge of infection in the state, in the country and across the globe.
Sonowal also said in the face of no antidote or vaccine invented to treat the infection, social distancing and avoidance of any kind of social gatherings are considered as the golden principle to fight the pandemic.
Chief minister Sonowal stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a 21-day nationwide lock down to enable the people across the country to remain indoors and beat the chain of infection induced by the virus.
He appealed to the religious leaders to impress upon their followers to remain indoors to evade any possibility of contacting viral infection.
Considering the immensely contagious nature of the virus, chief minister Sonowal observed that indulging oneself in prayers being at home without venturing out for any religious congregation would help the mankind to keep the infection at bay.
He also asked them to take on the responsibility to generate awareness among their followers about religious etiquette.
Sonowal urged them to see that no statement is made which is fraught with religious overtones to strengthen the age-old harmonious co-existence in the state.
Chief minister Sonowal also urged everyone irrespective of their religious affiliation to maintain social distancing, adhere to the advisory of the health department and wage a unified war to save the humanity from the onslaught of COVID 19.
Earlier, chief minister Sonowal held a meeting with the district administration of Cachar and assessed the preparedness of the district administration to deal with the situation arising out of novel corona virus outbreak in the district.
He asked deputy commissioner Barnali Sharma to maintain the services of all essential commodities including uninterrupted power supply during lock down period and resolutely maintain social distancing.
The chief minister also visited other parts of the Barak Valley.