Tablighi Jamaat played major role in COVID-19 spread: Guj DCM

Ahmedabad, Apr 7 () Gujarat Deputy Chief MinisterNitin Patel on Tuesday said members of the Islamic sectTablighi Jamaat played a major role in spreading coronavirusin the state and the country, by not cooperating with theauthorities and hiding their travel history.

Speaking to reporters here, Patel said unlike membersof the Muslim congregation, Hindu travellers who arrived atairports in Gujarat had not thrown any tantrums and hadfollowed authorities' instructions.

"Even in Islamic countries, including Pakistan, wehave not heard of violations of the government's instructions.Unfortunately, in India, some radicals and religious fanaticsspread a rumour that it would harm their religion," the BJPleader said.

Members of the Tablighi Jamaat played a major role inspreading coronavirus, the Deputy Chief Minister said.

"After returning to their homes in respective statesfrom Delhi, they should have informed the authorities. Thiscould have contained the spread," Patel said.

Majority of international travellers, who arrived inGujarat were Hindus, he said, adding that none of them hadthrown tantrums and had followed all instructions and optedfor quarantine.

"If members of the Jamaat had done the same and hadinformed the authorities or came forward for medical check-ups, the quantum of spread would have been less. They shouldunderstand that their action mostly affected people from theminority community only," he said.

Of the 126 persons from Gujarat, who had attendedthe event in Nizamuddin last month, 12 from Ahmedabad testedpositive for COVID-19 on Monday. PJT PDARU ARU