Foreign nationals at Tablighi Jamaat- MEA takes up visa violations with respective countries

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is working closely with the Home Ministry to handle the situation after foreign nationals from various countries violated laws and attended a congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin area here, which has become the hotspot of COVID-19 after many positive cases were found.

"Envoys have taken up the matter with the respective governments of visa violations committed by their nationals. Law of land will take its own course. Multiple agencies and Ministry of Home Affairs is also taking the required action and more details are awaited," sources told ANI.

According to the government, more than 2,000 foreign nationals arrived here early this year to take part in the activities of Tablighi Jamaat headquartered at Nizamuddin.

Foreigners from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan come for Tablighi activities.

The Home Ministry said that while approximately 824 of them, as on March 21, dispersed to different parts of the country, 216 of them were staying at Nizamuddin Markaz, where several tested positive for COVID-19.

A 21-day nationwide lockdown has been enforced across the country on midnight of March 24 as a preventive measure to contain the spread of coronavirus.