Congress MP Husain Dalwai demands ban on VHP

A day after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called for a ban on the Tablighi Jamaat and its Nizamuddin Markaz, which has emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot in the country, Congress MP Husain Dalwai on Monday said that Parishan should be banned first whose only aim is to "turn us towards Hinduvaadita" and not saving the people of the country at such a difficult time.

Speaking to ANI, Dalwai said that, "The ban should first be imposed on VHP. Tablighi Jamaat has never been against the country and it is a religious organisation. In this way, if other religious organisations are banned, then many other organisations should be banned...VHP is trying to take us towards Hinduvaadita."

"The Jamaat has committed a mistake and I am not in support of it on this issue since the beginning," he added.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to former Presidents and senior leaders of opposition parties to discuss issues concerning the COVID-19 crisis, Dalwai said that the Prime Minister had taken a good initiative. "Even the oppositions have suggestions. But this step was taken very late," he said.

Reacting on Prime Minister's '9 pm, 9-min' appeal to defeat the coronavirus in the country, Dalwai said that India is already united and it will continue to stay the same.

"This nation is already united and will remain so. It cannot be said that the country is united only because of the Prime Minister," he added.

He also supported Rahul Gandhi's advice of providing adequate personal protection equipment for medical workers. "If the government had accepted Gandhi's advice, this situation would not have occurred in the country. He had repeatedly warned against coronavirus. The government should provide protective equipment to the doctors," he added.