The COVID-19 virus grows exponentially. So in India (and in other Countries as well), there was fairly normal life till mid-end March. Then things changed suddenly, and everyone started being careful about the virus.
There was a Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin in Delhi. The event was held in Feb and March. Muslims from all across the Country, and from many other Countries attended it.
By the end of March, it was noticed that many who attended meeting, had got infected with COVID-19. So, since it was a large gathering, it would have definitely been a breeding ground for the virus.
Over the next few days, 364 cases connected with the Tablighi Jamaat event were found in Tamil Nadu . But in Uttar Pradesh, the number of those cases was just 47!
How can this be? Uttar Pradesh is double the size of Tamil Nadu. It has many more Muslims. What’s more, that state is way closer to Delhi. So many more people would have gone from there.
And yet the number of cases connected with the Tablighi Jamaat event in Tamil Nadu, was 8 times as much as in Uttar Pradesh.
Problems:
This Tablighi Jamaat event was for Muslims. So, in places with religious extremism, it was largely said that “Muslims are spreading the virus.”
The main Tablighi Jamaat event, was before the Government ordered a lock-down. But many people are spreading misinformation that it was after the lock-down. They say the Muslims broke the rules.
Hashtag #CoronaJihad was trending on twitter.
In these places, the wrong message was sent.
The message should have been like this:
The conference was used as a breeding ground by the virus. It is spreading through the attendees. So it is better if all the attendees are tested.
But the actual message spread was this more like this:
That Tablighi Jamaat conference was a Muslim one. Muslims are spreading the virus. They should all be tested.
The attendees should have seen that that particular meeting was used as a breeding ground by the virus. But the media was such that what they thought was more like this:
Why are they targeting us? There have been Hindu and other religious meetings as well.
Its true that there will be other unchecked breeding grounds as well. But that’s no reason not to check known ones.
However, to add to the problem, hatred had been spread against these people. So when some attendees went to be tested, they were treated badly.
Uttar Pradesh is one of the states with a lot of religious extremism. This government had an almost impossible task of tracing the meeting attendees.
But what about in other parts of the Country?
What Tamil Nadu did:
In some places, the Governments were trying to say that they wouldn't discriminate against Muslims. In Tamil Nadu, among most people, there is no concept of discriminating on religious lines (times are changing now, but this state is still better).
So, when Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami was talking about it, he didn’t even mention Muslim. He just said, “Dellilai andhu Kannfrans (In Delhi, that Conference).”
Trying to track all the kaanfrans attendees, would be slow, frustrating and a very difficult job.
So they needed to think of a practical way.
So on 31st March, Palaniswami made a speech. He appealed to all those who had been to the kaanfrans to voluntarily contact the government. And of course, credit should also go to other ministers, collectors, journalists etc. for spreading the information.
Immediately, the government started receiving call after call. Within 2 days, a total of 1103 kaanfrans attendees had contacted the Government. And all these people were tested.
Tracing:
Its true that even the Tamil Nadu Government needs to do a lot of tracing. But it is for a different reason.
Even Tamil Nadu has people who are spreading hatred and false news about the kaanfrans. The government is making efforts to trace these rumour-mongerers and jail them.
The local officials and collectors don’t wait for orders from above. They just immediately start the tracing.
Other states following:
Palaniswami had made his speech on 31st March. Just the next day, on 1st April Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jaganmohan Reddy made a similar announcement. In Andhra Pradesh also, the Tablighi Jamaat event attendees started contacting the Government.
Many states peaceful states doing the same thing successfully. But other states have to "hunt" down the people. They are getting the officials to "catch" these people. Orders have been given to search the personal belongings for 'suspicious' things. A fight broke out between the police and the Tablighi Jamaat attendees in Uttar Pradesh. The government immediately brought in the NIA.
Here is what different people said:
There is no religion or caste to this. Each and every life is important... So please don't spread rumours. If we spread rumours, it is like us bringing destruction upon ourselves.
--S.P Velumani, TN minister, AIADMK
The ...[Nizamuddin] issue that took place in Delhi is exasperating. Why should they be treated? They should be shot. Our country is undergoing such a huge crisis and at such times, they are putting religion above the nation?
--Raj Thackeray, MNS leader
Like coronavirus there is another virus that is emerging, which is threatening social harmony, the virus of fake news & communal hatred... I warn such people [who are spreading it] that I will ensure that no law will save you.
--Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra CM, Shiv Sena
A virus has no religion and it spreads not on the basis of any religion or community. Some forces are trying to communalise the situation... Such attempts will not succeed in a state like Kerala,”
--Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Chief Minister, CPI(M)
Those who participated in the Tablighi Jamaat event should be caught. Seize their mobile phones and check their call details. Examine their belongings and if anything suspicious is found, seize it.
--Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh CM, BJP
People should realize that corona virus has no religion, no region, no caste or community... It does not see if one is rich or poor,
--Y.S Jaganmohan Reddy, AP Chief Minister, YSRC
It is a conspiracy against our nation that Jamaatis are not only spreading the epidemic but also misbehaving with doctors and nurses in hospitals. The government should order to shoot them...
--Rajkumar Thukral, Rudrapur MLA, BJP
