Figures tell truth: RSS leader Vaidya on COVID-19 cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat event

"Figures tell the truth," said RSS Joint General Secretary Manmohan Vaidya on Monday referring to the number of COVID-19 cases linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

He said the Tablighi Jamaat members have been "exposed" and even people belonging to the Muslim community are "opposing" them.

The Health Ministry had on Sunday said the rate of doubling of COVID-19 cases in India was 4.1 days, but if the cases linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event would not have happened, it would have been 7.4 days.

Citing the RSS' decision to call off the annual meeting of its highest decision-making body -- Partinidhi Sabha -- Vaidya said that Tablighi Jamaat could have also called off their congregation.

Lauding the decision taken by the country's leadership to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, he said India handled the COVID-19 situation comparatively better than developed nations. "To tackle COVID-19 outbreak, India's leadership took some decisive steps which got public support," he said.

The RSS leader said that workers of his organisation helped 25.5 lakh people, during the lockdown, imposed to curb the spread of the virus, fed the poor and daily wagers and started a helpline. About the economic impact of the 21-day lockdown said the first priority should be to tackle the novel coronavirus and then the focus should shift towards the economy.