Tablighi Jamaat [Society of Preachers] is an Islamic missionary movement that encourages their community members to return to practice their religion, the way it was practiced during the initial time around 1400 years ago. Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlaw [ He is the great grandfather of Maulana Saad, who is currently trending in India] has founded this organization in 1926 in India. Currently, they are present in more than 200 countries and the number of members is around 1.2 crores worldwide. Its main headquarter in India is located at Nizamuddin, south Delhi is known as Markaz where initially this organization was started.
This organization had planned to religious congregational program in Nizamuddin West, Delhi between 1st March to 21St March 2020. [According to some sources, it was an international executive committee meeting that happened during 8–10 March in Delhi and provincial gatherings in Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Badu were planned during 15–17 March and during 22–24 March respectively. That is some member of the organization traveled to the respective state before lockdown on 22nd March]
The meeting was held in Delhi, initially planned somewhere in Vasai, Maharashtra. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in Maharashtra, the Government of Maharashtra and Mumbai Police called off the meeting and did not give permission. [ The question must be asked to Delhi government or center government whoever responsible to give permission for this program]. Around 9,000 missionaries may have attended the event and 1000 attendees are from foreign countries though all are possessed visitor visas and as per India's government passport act, you cannot attend any religious event or cannot involve in promoting or teaching religious things. It is considered a crime and if you want to do that you need to take a different visa prior.
How this event was responsible for the coronavirus crises in India?
On 5th March, some fresh cases were being confirmed in Delhi NCR, the Government of Delhi announced that all primary schools across Delhi would be shut until 31 March as a precaution.
On 9th March, the Holi celebration event is requested to call off in fear of coronavirus spread. Even Prime minister and president of India also decided, they would not celebrate Holi to avoid gathering. [one of the biggest festivals in India of the majority population and it celebrated across the globe]
On 12 March, the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal announced that all schools, colleges, and cinema halls in New Delhi would be closed till the end of March and all public places disinfected as a precautionary measure.
But till 12Th March this organization does not consider canceling of their meeting and gathering. And those attendees who came from foreign countries spread coronavirus to others. There were around 9000 people who gathered for that event had become in contact with other infected people. Later many people were gone for other states like Tamil Nadu and Telangana as they had planned gathering as mention above. Meanwhile, corona disease was spreading in India and taking measures, the prime minister had announced “Janta curfew” On 22nd March. Till 22nd March around 4000 people were still present in a single building and organizer help 1500 to escape Delhi on the next day after “Janta curfew”. Later On, 24Th April, Prime Minister had declared Total Lock Down in India.
So, the remaining members of this organization had remained inside the building, though till 24th March organizers do not consider their responsibility to contact the police and let them know that many foreigners were ill, and they all remain gathered in this building and many members had already gone to another location. They show irresponsibility and one of the reasons was the speech of maulana Saad, which already present in public and shown by the main media channels. Ultimately On 30th March, Delhi police seized the building and sent around 2300 members to the quarantine center after some initial members found positive and news started to come in media. [Even till 30th March, National security advisor Mr.Ajit Doval went there at midnight and then they ready to vacant the building but till today many members were already going to other states are not coming out by themself.] It is a clear case of irresponsibility, not binding the law and considering themselves about the law and not even caring about their own family.
On 26th April, when I am writing this article, around 28000 cases are registered in India and the rate of doubling the cases is around 10 days now. 35 to 40 % of all registered cases belong to this event. When the cases related to this event started coming out before that rate of doubling the cases were 7.5 days which was become 3.5 days because of cases because of this event and because of that government of India has to increase lockdown till 3rd May which will cause a big loss to GDP too. Barclays estimated around $234 billion-dollar loss because of extended lockdown. Though even today the news is coming that, members of this organization found and arrested because they are hiding information about attending this event in Delhi.
It is very clear that Tablighi Jamaat showed very irresponsible the behavior for which India will pay a very huge price. So, answer to the question of whether Tablighi Jamaat is a super spreader of coronavirus or are they responsible for coronavirus cases in India is yes. [Only direct cases are considered which are related to this event but what about the other who might be traveled with them on the train or later came in contact with them as still many are missing and living with others.] But what about other cases which are around 65% reported so it is sure that there are many superspreaders in India apart from Tablighi Jamaat who is not identified.
So, only Tablighi Jamaat members are targeted and blamed because of their religion?
Before we conclude the answer let’s see one more example of irresponsible behavior. Ms. Kanika Kapoor is an Indian singer. She was returning from London to India on 9th March [for the Holi festival. That time coronavirus already has been spread]. when the singer was screened at the Mumbai airport on March 14, She was advised home quarantine for 14 days, but she did not obey that advice and threw some parties to her friends and colleagues in which many VIPs such as the former chief minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje, her son – incumbent MP Dushyant Singh, and Uttar Pradesh's state minister of medical, and health Jai Pratap Singh ware present in that party with other 100 people. When she found corona positive on 23rd March, All VIPs, and persons visited that party need to be quarantined. Because of U.P. The Health minister later visited Rashtrapati Bhawan and as a result, Rashtrapati Bhawan canceled all plans and engagements of President of India indefinitely.
People show anger against her for her irresponsible behavior, and even FIR filed against her. Everyone has criticized her. After admitted she even complained about the facility in hospitals and because of that hated speeches were increased against her. But she never played religion card and did not say that people have criticized her because of her religion. The media had started a similar trial on her and called her patient no 31[Super spreader, called who was responsible to spread coronavirus in South Korea] of India. [though she is not luckily and as of 26 April, there have not been positive cases of the disease reported from the people who were in contact with Kapoor.] Even she is fine now, and she also releases her part of the story on social media.
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