Step back from harassing foreign Tablighi Jamaat activists: SDPI

MK Faizy, national president, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) demanded the Central Government to step back from the revengeful legal actions against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) activists who were forced to stay in India due Coronavirus pandemic.

The letter issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs to state governments directing not to deport the TJ activists who are foreign nationals after the Covid-19 quarantine period is inhuman and unethical. He pointed out that the TJ congregation held at Delhi Nizamuddin and those who attended the same and travelled in our country have not deliberately spread the pandemic and hence they should not be treated as criminals.

While the Prime Minster has denounced spread of communalism in the name of COVID-19, his government is moving ahead with decisions that reflect attitude of Islamophobia even on foreign nationals. This will result in labelling our largest democratic country as an unscrupulous and prejudiced nation for foreign nationals.

The large number of negative test results of COVID-19 suspected Tablighi activists proved that there were very less corona spread from them in India. Now instead of apologizing for the vicious propaganda and physical and mental torture inflicted upon them by our agencies and biased media, the central and some state governments are continuing the witch-hunt on Indian as well as foreign TJ members.

M K Faizy invited government attention to the fact that already India carries the image as a country in which Islamophobia and assaults on Muslims are being promoted. The detentions, cases and continued court trials of innocent and pious Tablighi persons who have not deliberately committed any crime will further worsen our international image and foreign relations. SDPI national president has urged the Central Government to give Tablighi Jamaat foreign delegates the very same humanitarian supports as extended to other Covid-19 victims and facilitate their honourable exit from India once they complete quarantine period.