'No need to raise Tablighi Jamaat anymore': Health Min Harsh Vardhan calls incident 'sad'

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday stated that there was no need to discuss and bring up the Tablighi Jamaat event in relation to Coronavirus anymore since 'a lot' had already been said and discussed on it. While answering a question posed by BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao on whether the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi was a 'take-off' point for Coronavirus in the country, Harsh Vardhan stated that he 'feels bad' to raise the issue every time. 

Read: Delhi Govt To Release Tablighi Jamaat Members With No COVID-19 Symptoms From Quarantine: HC Told

"Enough has been discussed and debated about it. I feel bad to raise this issue every now and then. However, around the second week of March, when the virus was spreading very fast in the world and one and a half month had passed after the country reported the first case, even till then the number of cases in the country was very less," he said.

Read: Tablighi Jamaat Members Aided COVID-19 Spread In Indore, Bhopal Initially: MP CM

"At that time, this unfortunate and sad incident took place. When it took place, there was no social distancing followed there. In Delhi, at that time, there was this situation where 10-15 people could not stand together. At that time, people from over 12 countries came there," the Health Minister added.

Harsh Vardhan revealed that by the time the information was received a lot of people were removed but a lot had already moved before, following which there was a surge in the number of cases across the country. He added that different state governments and Home Ministry officials had helped a lot.  "The contact tracing was done. But eventually, the number of cases rose and the lockdown was implemented. But there is no need to discuss that because a lot of people were traced, quarantined and treated," said Harsh Vardhan. 

Hundreds of coronavirus cases and several deaths across the country were linked to the Markaz area in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, which emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot. Thousands of people from across the country and hundreds of foreigners had attended the congregation in March. An FIR was also registered against Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad and others under the Epidemic Disease Act 1897 in connection with the congregation. 

(With ANI Inputs)

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