Delhi CM slammed the Tableeghi Jamat organisers for holding the congregation at such a critical time when Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi has announced a nationwide lockdown
The Chief Minister of Delhi – Arvind Kejriwal has said that 1,548 people have been evacuated from Nizamudddin Markaz (centre) today, i.e., Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
Of these 1,548 people, 441 have been hospitalised as they showed symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The remaining 1,107 who were there at the religious congregation in Nizamudddin West, have been quarantined.
Addressing the media through a digital Press Conference, he stated that out of 97 cases in Delhi, 24 are those who took part in the congregation. He even slammed the organisers for holding the congregation at such a critical time when Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi has announced a nationwide lockdown and has urged every individual to practice SOCIAL DISTANCING.
Sharing the break-up of cases in Delhi, Kejriwal tweeted, “दिल्ली के कुल 97 कोरोना केसों का विश्लेषण करने के बाद हमारा मानना है कि अभी भी स्थिति नियंत्रण में। इनमें 41 लोग विदेश यात्रा से लौटे थे, 22 उनके परिवार के थे और 24 मरकज़ के थे। तो अभी करोना आम जनता में फैलना चालू नहीं हुआ। हमें इसे किसी भी हालत में रोकना है।“
दिल्ली के कुल 97 कोरोना केसों का विश्लेषण करने के बाद हमारा मानना है कि अभी भी स्थिति नियंत्रण में। इनमें 41 लोग विदेश यात्रा से लौटे थे, 22 उनके परिवार के थे और 24 मरकज़ के थे। तो अभी करोना आम जनता में फैलना चालू नहीं हुआ। हमें इसे किसी भी हालत में रोकना है। pic.twitter.com/DhIt2lDzcC
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 31, 2020
He even mentioned that lapses in discharge of duty of the officers related to the Nizamuddin case will not be tolerated. Most importantly, he also confirmed that, as of now, that there is no community transmission of COVID-19 in Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police Commissioner has said that a case has been registered against Maulana Saad and others of Tableeghi Jamaat under Epidemic Disease Act 1897 & other sections of IPC for violation of Government directions given to the management of Markaz of Basti Nizamuddin.
For the records, on March 16, 2020, Kejriwal had announced that no religious, social, political gatherings of more than 50 people will take place in Delhi till March 31, 2020. By that time, a total of 3,400 people had already gathered at the Nizamuddin Markaz as part of a religious gathering. On March 23, 2020, 1,500 people vacated the Markaz. Subsequently, on March 24, 2020, Narendra Modi announced the 21-day lockdown across the nation to contain the spread of COVID-19. The same day, Nizamuddin Police asked the remaining people at the Markaz to vacate the area.
On March 25, 2020, around 1000 people were still residing in the Markaz. A medical team who visited the Markaz, isolated the suspected cases in a hall within the building. On the same day, the officials of the Jamaat visited the SDM’s office seeking permission to vacate the Markaz. They also provided a list of vehicles for seeking passes.
The next day, on March 26, 2020 an Indian preacher who attended the gathering in Delhi died in Srinagar due to COVID-19. The SDM also visited the Markaz and called the Jamaat officials for a meeting with the District Magistrate. On March 27, 2020, 6 suspects were taken away from the Markaz and put in a quarantine facility in Jhajjar, Haryana. The following day on March 28, 2020, a World Health Organisation (WHO) team along with the SDM visited the Markaz and sent 33 people for testing.
Then, a notice was received by Markaz from the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Lajpat Nagar, demanding urgent vacation of Markaz. On March 29, 2020, the Markaz officials replied to ACP’s letter and said that no new people have been allowed to join post lockdown. They also said that the current gathering had started much before the lockdown and that the PM in his lockdown speech said ‘jo jahaan hai, vahin rahe’ (stay put wherever you are). Later that night, police and health authorities started moving the congregation to quarantine centres.
Separately, among other developments, 72 more cases were reported in Maharashtra taking the total tally to 302. 7 new cases were also reported in Kerala. Uttar Pradesh also reported 24 new cases. The total number of cases across India have reached 1,478.
