The Jammat-e-Islami Hind(JIH), India biggest socio-religious organisations of the Muslim community, has mobilised its resources all over the country to provide relief and succour to those affected by 21-day lockdown effective from March 24. This is the second part of the series focussing on the Jamaat reaching out to the poor and needy across communities in South India.
Afsal Rahman | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, APRIL 1—Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has deployed thousands of its workers in South Indian states to provide medical and food assistance to those affected by the 21-day lockdown ordered by the Central government to fight the spread of coronavirus.
Popularly known as Jamaat among its workers, the organisation has even offered its hospitals and schools, colleges and madrasas to the government in Kerala and other states for isolation and treatment of COVID 19 suspects.
Giving details about the Jamaat’s relief work since the lockdown as it affected poor and migrant daily wagers, JIH Telangana unit media secretary Saeed Fakhruddeen Ali Ahmed told India Tomorrow that the Jamaat was also working in collaboration with several NGOs. “Our primary focus is on the migrant labourers who became income-less because of the lockdown”, he said.
Husamuddin, who works with media team and is coordinating the activities said that ration kits have been distributed across the settlements of daily wage labourers. This include groceries and other essential items. ” We are now active in relief works in Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal. Meals are being distributed in these areas daily since lockdown started”, he added.
The Karnataka JIH unit has also been engaged in the relief works of those stranded because of the lockdown. It is working along with its student wing and other NGO in helping the needy. Laeequllah Khan, Karnataka State Media Secretary said that they are distributing relief kits in different areas of the state.
“We have distributed food items to 65 families in Balki. We have also distributed 1000 ration kits to 450 families in Chikmanglur. With the help of the Islamic Relief Society, we were able to distribute food kits and rations to 200 families in Udupi”, he added.
The Tamil Nadu state unit of JIH is also actively engaged in the relief works. They have distributed 3000 food kits to 6,000 migrant labourer families. Focussing on around 16 districts in the state, they have distributed 2000 face masks, 100 hand sanitisers and 6000 grocery food kits. A total of 16425 individuals belonging to 5745 families were benefited by the relief works.
MI Abdul Azeez, Kerala JIH president informed told that the organisation has expressed its willingness to provide the hospitals and other institutions under the organisation for the state government to help in its operations to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. Kerala JIH media team member T Shakir, said, “A 300-bed multi-speciality hospital—Santhi—in Kozhikode, run by a trust associated with the organisation has been taken over by the government for treatment of Corona affected”.
According to him, the organisation would be able to provide 1,000 beds in five hospitals across Kerala. He said, “As many as 90 school buildings, 25 college buildings, and 400 madrasas belonging to the Jamaat could be utilised if more space for isolation and quarantine facilities are needed”.
Jamaat’s workers have registered in the Sannadham online portal set up by the state government to coordinate the volunteers and relief works. The organisation is also providing psychological counselling to those who are in home isolation.
Nahas Mala, President of Solidaity Youth Movement, the youth wing of JIH in Kerala told India Tomorrow that its workers are active across the state in providing relief to those affected by the lockdown. The organisation has also started a helpline for the migrant labourers in need of food and shelter. “We have received at least 100 calls since we started the helpline. ” he said adding efforts were made to provide solution to their needs.
