New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the role of religious leaders in disseminating the information on social distancing and staying indoors at a time of coronavirus outbreak.

PM Modi tweeted: "The role played by saints, seers, community organisations in serving society is extremely valuable. Their spirit of compassion is remarkable."

In the last CM's conference, he urged all chief ministers to engage community and religious leaders not just in state and district level but also in Thana level to help spread the message of aggressive social distancing.

It has had an effect: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad refrained from calling for mass celebrations on Hanuman Jayanti and Muslim leaders too gave a call to stay indoors during shab-e-Barat.

The PM's statement assumes significance in the aftermath of the Tablighi Jamaat's congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin that exploded India's COVID-19 cases overnight.

PM also lauded the Sant Nirankari Mandal for contributing to PM-CARES and "making the fight against COVID-19 even more effective".