Tablighi Jamaat event caused COVID-19 to spread to 'many people': MHA

During the Rajya Sabha session, Ministry of Home Affairs in a written reply stated that Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi led to the COVID-19 infection spreading to many people. It also informed that 233 people of Tablighi Jamaat have been arrested by Delhi Police and 2,361 of its members have been evacuated from Nizamuddin headquarters since 29 March 2020.

New Delhi:The Union Home Ministry on Monday said that the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi's Nizamuddin locality in March led to the coronavirus infection spreading to 'many people'.

The Ministry also stated that 233 people of Tablighi Jamaat have been arrested by Delhi Police and 2,361 of its members have been evacuated from Delhi's Nizamuddin headquarters since 29 March 2020.

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In a written reply to a question by Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said, "...despite guidelines /orders issued by various authorities in pursuance of the outbreak of COVID-19, a huge gathering assembled inside a closed premise; over a protracted period without any semblance of social distancing or provision of masks and sanitisers. This also caused the spread of coronavirus infection amongst many people."

"233 people of Tablighi Jamaat have been arrested by Delhi Police. However, regarding Jamaat chief Maulana Mohd. Saad, investigation is underway," MoS Home Affairs stated.

Giving details about the action taken against him, G Kishan Reddy stated that one case relating to Tablighi gathering has been registered by Delhi Police under Section 14-B Foreigners Act 1946, Section 3 Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and Section 51/58 Disaster Management Act 2005.

The MHA had in June blacklisted 2,550 foreign Tablighi Jamaat members who were staying in India during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown in violation of visa rules. The Ministry had said that they would not be allowed to enter the country for 10 years.

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