New Delhi: The entire Muslim community cannot be held responsible for one group’s ‘crime’, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Thursday. He was reacting to instances of Muslims being blamed for the spurt in COVID-19 cases after Tablighi Jamaat congregation. Naqvi asserted that most of the minority community members have condemned the group’s action.
Naqvi also expressed confidence that Muslims will abide by lockdown guidelines during the holy month of Ramzan. He said all organisations have unanimously decided Muslims will not congregate in mosques and religious places. They will perform all rituals like ‘Iftaar’ (breaking of fast) and ‘taraweeh’ (special prayers) at home keeping in mind social distancing norms.
Naqvi said he has spoken with state Waqf board officials, social and religious leaders, imams. He has asked them to adhere to lockdown and social distancing guidelines during the Ramzan month starting Friday or Saturday evening.
Naqvi was asked to comment on situation developing out of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin here.
“Whatever that organisation did, criminal negligence or crime…most Muslims have strongly reacted and condemned it. They have called for action against it. Entire community cannot be held responsible for one person or one organisation’s crime,” Naqvi asserted.
Last week, the Union Health Ministry had said 29.8 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases in India were linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. Many others have blamed the community for the spread of the pandemic in the country.
Naqvi’s comments also assume significance in view of the 57-member prominent international Mulim grouping, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), asking India to take ‘urgent steps’ to protect the rights of its minority Muslim community and stop the incidents of ‘Islamophobia’ in the country.
Hitting out at the OIC, the minister had said India is ‘heaven for Muslims’. Those trying to ‘vitiate the atmosphere of prosperity’ cannot be friends of Indian Muslims, he added.
Naqvi said those targetting Muslims are few isolated people who are trying to spread ‘misinformation’. “We should be united and isolate such elements,” Naqvi said.
PTI