Coronavirus is not just a physical illness, it tells about unhealthy lifestyle too: PM Modi

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed that the government's guiding light is the Constitution of India, based on which it never discriminates between people based on faith, gender, caste, creed or language.

He was addressing people on the occasion of 90th birthday celebrations of Rev Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan in Pathanamthitta of Kerala via video-conference.

"We have taken decisions not from comfortable government offices in Delhi but after feedback from people on the ground," he said.

"It is this spirit that ensured every Indian has access to a bank account," he said.

With the help of government's 'Ayushman Bharat' crores of people have managed to get quality treatment in the hospitals, he said.

"For women, we are ensuring that their health gets due attention via various schemes. And, their career path is not compromised through extension of maternity leave," Modi said.

PM Modi asserted that the Government of India never discriminates between faith, gender, caste, creed or language.

"We are guided by the desire to empower 130 crore Indians and our guiding light is the Constitution of India," he told the gathering.

'One nation, one ration card' is an example of such ideology through which poor people get access to food at cheap rates.

He also spoke about India's fight against coronavirus. "Earlier this year, some people had predicted that the impact of the virus in India would be very severe. But, due to lockdown and many initiatives taken by the government as well as a people-driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations. India's recovery rate is rising," Modi said.

India's death per million due to Covid is under 12 while the death rate in Italy was 574 per million, he said.