New Delhi: Taking a strong action for violating Indian's effort to contain Covid-19 pandemic, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday has blacklisted 960 foreigners for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.
The MHA, in an order, has asked all the state government to take action under IPC.
Officials said that all these foreigners (Tablighi Jaamat workers), present in India, were on tourist visas.
The Home Ministry has also directed DGPs of all concerned States and UTs and Delhi Commissioner of Police to take necessary legal action against all such violators, on priority, under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The action taken by the Home Ministry comes amid controversy of the conglomeration of Tablighi Jaamat workers in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz, at a time when India was fighting against the infectious disease.
The conglomeration that took place between March 10 to 20 has also raised serious questions on the alertness of Delhi police and lack of intelligence loopholes.
The Home Ministry has already identified 9000 people who were either took part in the conglomeration or came in contact with the Tablighi Jaamat workers.
“9000 people who were identified in different states across India have been put under 14-days mandatory quarantine,” said an official.
Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has asked all State Chief Secretaries and DGPs to complete the contact tracing process of Tablighi Jamat participants on a war footing as the Jaamat workers spread across the country to preach Islam.
The States were sensitized about the intensive contact tracing of Tablighi Jamat participants as this has increased the risk of containment efforts of Covid-19.
At least 12 people related to Tablighi Jamat cluster have already died with positive Covid-19 cases, though the first such death took place in Telangana last week.
Officials said that the number of Covid positive people from Tablighi Jamat cluster might also increase as thousands of them are still under quarantine.
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