Ishfaq-ul-Hassan | India Tomorrow
SRINAGAR, APRIL 1— Newly released from jail former chief minister Omar Abdullah was at his unabashed best when he openly came to the rescue of Tablighi Jamaat by hitting out at online trolls describing the hashtags “more dangerous than any virus”.
“People tweeting stuff with hashtags like Tablighi virus are more dangerous than any virus nature could ever conjure up because their minds are sick while their bodies may very well be healthy,” tweeted Omar.
It was Omar’s first major statement post his release from seven-month detention on March 24. “Important to read the statement that was put out by #TablighiJamat clarifying all the steps they took to implement the government guidelines,” he said.
Tablighi Jamaat in a statement said it had kept authorities informed from Day 1 of the lockdown. The management of Markaz Nizamuddin clarified that right from the first day of lockdown, they had apprised the Delhi authorities of the situation and the steps taken to mitigate the dangers, and abide by the directions of the government
“For the record, this was the statement put out by them clarifying their position & the steps taken by them. The stink of communalism in a lot of the criticism is nauseating. At first glance, it would appear the #TablighiJamat were nothing if not irresponsible in the way they went about things but that’s not unique to them. The majority of Muslims in India has heeded government guidelines & advice the same as anyone else”, Omar said.
The former chief minister noted that Tablighi Jamaat will become a convenient excuse for some to vilify Muslims everywhere as if we created and spread COVID around the world.
In Kashmir, authorities have converted all Tablighi mosques in Pulwama district into quarantine centers.
Tablighi Jamaat members, who had attended a religious meeting in Jammu, said they have tested negative and quarantined themselves in their homes as a precautionary measure.
Many of the members of the religious group had attended a religious function earlier this month in Jammu. The function was attended by some of Tablighi members, who had arrived after participating in the congregation at Nizamuddin. One of those with travel history to Nizamuddin later passed away.
Tablighi Jamaat members said they had gone through medical screening and tests which came back negative. “Some 18 days ago, we had a Mashwara (meeting) in Jammu. All the participants who attended the meeting, have now tested negative,” said Rashid Ahmad, Tablighi Jamaat head, Baramulla.
As a precautionary measure, all the members of the religious outfit have gone into quarantine. “Right now we have suspended all religious functions and confined ourselves to our homes. All the members of Tablighi Jamaat have isolated themselves from the public,” he said.
