Spread message that Muslims can't be held responsible for Tablighi Jamaat's actions: NCM to PIB

Amid reports of Muslims being blamed for the spurt in COVID-19 cases after the Tablighi Jamaat congregation here, the National Commission for Minorities on Friday said the entire community should not be held responsible for the Islamic group's actions and asked the government's public relations arm PIB to disseminate this message across the country.

In a letter to Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) K S Dhatwalia, National Commission for Minorities (NCM) joint secretary Daniel E Richards said it is often seen in media reports that reference is made to Tablighi Jamaat attendees as being held responsible for the increase in number of COVID-19 positive cases.

The congregation was held in the national capital's Nizamuddin area in March and several of those who attended it and then travelled across the country tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The Nizamuddin area has been declared as a COVID-19 hotspot.

"While such action by the Jamaat attendees is highly condemnable and merits suitable action by the authorities, it may be appreciated that these persons do not represent the entire Muslim community and holding the whole Muslim community responsible for actions of the Tablighi Jamaat attendees is wrong and uncalled for," Richards said in the letter.

The Muslim community members are complying with the lockdown directives as rest of the citizens, the letter said.

The commission feels that there is an urgent need to present the correct picture in the media that the members of the Muslim community should not be linked to, and held responsible for the outcome of the actions of the Tablighi Jamaat attendees, the NCM joint secretary said.

"I request you to take necessary steps to ensure that this message is adequately conveyed in the country through all mediums of the media immediately," the letter to the government's principal spokesperson said.

The NCM official said the letter comes in the wake of increasing number of reports of instances of ill treatment with persons belonging to the Muslim minority community in the country in the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission greatly appreciates the action plan announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save the country from this pandemic which has been widely appreciated by the world too, the letter said.

The letter comes a day after Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, while reacting to instances of Muslims being blamed for the spurt in COVID-19 cases after Tablighi Jamaat congregation here, said the entire Muslim community cannot be held responsible for one group's "crime".

The minister had asserted that most of the minority community members have condemned the group's action.