New Delhi:In an unprecedented action, Centre has blacklisted over 2,000 foreign nationals for 10 years from travelling to India for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities, government sources said on Thursday.
This is perhaps for the first time that the government has blacklisted a large number of people in one stroke and banned their entry into India for such a long duration under the Foreigners Act.
The action has been taken by the home ministry after various state governments provided details of the foreigners who were found to be illegally living in mosques and religious seminaries across the country.
Among blacklisted members were nationals from nearly 40 nations. They are: the US, the UK, France, Australia, Russia, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka,Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Thailand,Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo,Cte d'Ivoire, Djibouti,Egypt, Ethiopia,Fiji, Gambia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, the Philippines, Qatar,Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and Ukraine.
The government has already decided not to issue tourist visa to any foreigner who wishes to visit India and take part in Tablighi activities.
The Minister of Home Affairs has banned Tablighi Jamaat members from entering India for 10 years for flouting Visa norms, sources told ETV Bharat.Earlier, Delhi Police crime branch had filed total 35 chargesheets naming 376 foreign nationals in connection with the Tablighi Jamaat case.
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After finding about their illegal stay in India, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had also told the states and UTs to take action against foreigners, who have participated in the missionary activities of the Tablighi Jamaat, for violation of visa conditions.
In April, the home ministry had directed DGPs of all the states and UTs, and the Delhi Police Commissioner to take necessary legal action against all such violators, on priority, under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Disaster Management Act.
Last week, the CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) against the organisers of Tablighi Jamaat for alleged dubious cash transactions and hiding of foreign donations from authorities.
The enquiry was registered on a complaint that the organisers of the Jamaat are indulging in dubious cash transactions through illegal and unfair means, the officials said.
Action against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members was first taken after over 2,300 people, including 250 foreigners, belonging to the Islamic organisation were found to be living at its headquarters located at Delhi's Nizamuddin soon after the nation-wide lockdown was announced in March. Several of these members had tested positive for coronavirus.
As per the chargesheets, all the foreign nationals were booked for violating visa rules, violating government guidelines issued in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and regulations regarding the Epidemic Diseases Act, Disaster Management Act and prohibitory orders under section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure. A large religious congregation organised by the Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi's Nizamuddin area in March had emerged as a major hotspot of coronavirus in the country.
The Delhi Police has also registered a case against the Tablighi Jamaat and its office bearers. The head of the organisation, Maulana Saad, is still to be apprehended by police.
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(With inputs from PTI)
