New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind has moved to the Supreme Court requesting an urgent hearing of its PIL which seeks directions from the apex court to the Centre to prevent communalisation of the Nizamuddin Markaz issue by certain sections of the print and electronic media, while demanding action against such attempts.
The PIL contends that the "communal angle has led to the demonisation and victimisation of all Muslim persons" which is affecting the livelihood and dignity of Muslims in these times of the pandemic.
The organisation cited the example of a Gujarat leaflet which is exhorting all the Hindus to boycott Muslim hawkers and shopkeepers as they believe that the Muslims are on "mission" to spread the COVID-19. Action has been taken by the Ahmedabad police directing all the police stations to ensure that no untoward situation arises in the areas.
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The organisation contending the ground for their PIL say that if the print and electronic media is not immediately prevented from reporting the Nizamuddin Markaz incident with a communal angle then it will lead to a communal divide in the society which is already going through a "communally tense period" post the Delhi pogrom.
Along with its petition, the organisation attached photos of various media organisations carrying controversial and communal statements/headlines in their channels/papers.
With more than 100 positive cases of coronavirus have emerged from the Tablighi Jamaat congregation Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz, the deadly disease has taken a communal colour in the country. Following the reports of several people who attended the event leaving for various parts of the country, "TablighiVirus" and "CoronaJihad" were among the trending topics on Twitter.
