The communal virus

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the spread of India’s rarely dormant communal virus. The proximate cause this time is the admittedly irresponsible behaviour of the Islamic missionary movement, Tablighi Jamaat, in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin area. Data shows that Tablighi accounts for about a third of the cases in India. This statistics, repeated ad nauseum  by central and state officials, has served to obscure the facts and inflamed public opinion. The event took place on March 15, well before the nationwide lockdown or ban on international travel. Many Hindu temples held gatherings around this time with thousands of people violating social