Published 08:25 IST, April 2nd 2020
Kerala CM warns those targeting Nizamuddin attendees amid Markaz-linked Coronavirus spread
Amid nationwide tracing of attendees of the Nizamuddin Markaz event, who have increased the number of COVID cases, Kerala CM said they are being targeted
Even as there has been a sharp rise in Coronavirus cases across India, with attendees of Nizamuddin Markaz event increasing the spread, Kerala Chief Minister has said that they are being targeted. Calling it a 'purposeful campaign' against a community, he warned that anyone who tries to create a religious division will be 'strongly dealt with.'
This comes as Kerala reported 24 new positive coronavirus cases on Wednesday, taking the total count in the state to 265. On April 1, Kerala Police also said that 22 people from Mallapuram attended the Nizamuddin event. As per reports, as many as 330 people from Kerala may have participated in the event.
The Markaz chief had allegedly in his sermon urged Muslims to defy lockdown and come out to pray together to break the COVID-19 “curse”. He termed the pandemic as a 'conspiracy to separate Muslims and make them untouchable' but also added that those who have been detected with Coronavirus have to be quarantined.
Minority affairs minister calls it 'Talibani crime'
However, blaming the Markaz attendees for the rise in cases of the novel virus, Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lashed out at the Tablighi Jamaat on Tuesday. He said that the organisation has committed a "Talibani crime" and its "sin is unpardonable".
"Talibani Crime by Tablighi Jamaat. This is not negligence. It's a serious criminal act. When the entire country is fighting united against Corona, such a sin is unpardonable," the minority affairs minister said in a tweet.
What is the Nizamuddin COVID-19 scare?
A religious program was organized at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters Markaz Nizamuddin mosque between 13-15 March which was attended by over three thousand people, from India and abroad, who since dispersed. After attending the meeting, which took place prior to the nationwide lockdown, many of the attendees returned to other parts of the country.
A case was registered by the Delhi Police against Maulana Saad and other attendees of the congregation by Tablighi Jamaat for violating the restriction pertaining to religious gatherings. Sections under the Epidemic Disease Act,1897 and Section 269, 270, 271 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code have been invoked. In the FIR, it has been stated that the congregation failed to take safety measures for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
The mosque, meanwhile, claimed that while they were letting small groups of attendees leave from the venue prior to the Janta Curfew, several were stuck in the area – which has now been entirely quarantined – owing to the nationwide lockdown. Regardless, Delhi DyCM Sisodia has confirmed that over a thousand attendees have been tracked down, and over 600 have shown symptoms, indicating the scope of the threat.
Updated 08:25 IST, April 2nd 2020