On National TV – News Nation a short while ago, for the first time after the accusations against the Tablighi Jamaatis for a deliberate attempt and conspiracy to infect the Indian masses, the spokesperson of the Tablighi Jamaat made an attempt to put all speculation to rest.
Musharaf Ali Khan said that the current propaganda against them was just an attempt by the media and other sources to defame them and spoil their image by ensuring that they and their particular sect is seen in a bad light by the general public.
On being asked where MaulanaSaad was hiding he said that the religious leader was not hiding, in fact he had taken all care to reply to the charges against him in writing and had submitted it to the proper sources. The reason why he could not come on a phone line and speak to the public on National TV was because he was a simple man and did not possess a cell phone; however he was willing to share a whats app number with the news anchor saying that Maulana Saad would reply on that if approached.
The spokesperson was carrying a press release which ran into several pages and he could not read the entire press release but a gist of it was that the religious leader was a person who maintained a low profile, was a simple and law abiding man. He said that the Tablighi Jamaat was a transparent organization where everything was overboard and nothing was hidden. Their activities were even conducted in open fields in many places where thousands of people gathered. They were a responsible organization and people from all over the world assembled together in their gatherings. They had always abided by the rules laid out by the government and had never made any attempts to flout them. As far as the accusation of large numbers hiding in the mosque in Nizammudin Delhi went, he said they were not hiding; they were stuck and could not leave because the lock down announcement was so sudden. However they had cooperated with the authorities to ensure that many were evacuated and kept in self- isolation. He went on to say that Maulana Saad had informed all the jamaatis to cooperate with the police force and assist them in any other way if it was required.
This clarification comes in direct contrast to the news that has surfaced recently regarding their irresponsibility and high infection risk. Reports reveal that out of the total number of COVID – 19 positive cases in India, a large number is directly linked to the Tablighi Jamaat attendees. It is said that out of a total of 2301 confirmed cases in India till date, in the past 2 days 647 confirmed positive cases are linked directly to the Tablighi Jamaat and these numbers are expected to rise in the coming days. India has registered 56 COVID – 19 deaths so far.
In another recent development 10 quarantined or self- isolated Jamaatis have run away from a mosque in Pune, this follows the news of the misbehavior of the Tablighi Jamaat patients with the female nursing staff at a hospital in UP . A lot of negative reports and irresponsibility of the Tablighi Jamaat have surfaced so far and Maulana Saad remains untraceable and has not made either a public address or appearance so far.
