Maulana Saad, the head of Nizamuddin Markaz reportedly refused to budge to the orders of Delhi government to vacate the Banglewali Masjid after it emerged as a hotspot of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Post that, the situation was brought under control by Ajit Doval who landed at the site at 2 am.
Tablighi Jamaat Congregation in the Nizammudin region of the national capital is becoming the hotbed of the outbreak in the country after six of them died in Telangana after attending the congregation. Social media too has erupted against the congregation and has criticized the need for it. While there has been debate about the date of the event, the Delhi government has filed FIRs against the organizers after over 50 people from the congregation tested positive in the country.
Ajit Doval intervenes at 2 am
Delhi government asked the people of Nizammudin Markaz to vacate the Banglewali Masjid where a lot of people resided after taking part in the congregation. The head of the Markaz refused to vacate the masjid after which the Home Minister personally asked the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to look into the matter. Doval came into the picture at 2 am. Doval reportedly convinced the Maulana to test for the COVID-19 and quarantine those who are showing the symptoms.
While the Markaz allowed only 167 people to be tested for the last three days, it is only after the intervention of Doval that the leadership agreed to clean up the Masjid. Doval is said to have maintained close contact with top Muslim leaders across the country for several years. Apparently, he is often kept in touch with them to develop national security policies.
According to the security officials, the operation is now in Phase 2. Phase 2 involves contact tracing of all the people who have attended the Jamaat congregation. The phase is intensively concentrated on foreigners who have reportedly breached their tourist visa conditions by attending the congregation. There were a total of 216 foreigners from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.
All the people, Indians and foreigners related to the Jamaat congregation are being screened for the COVID-19.
