In light of many who attended the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi testing positive, Islamophobic rumours have been widely shared across social media platforms.
Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development SP Velumani said on Thursday that action would be taken against those spreading caste and religion-based rumours surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The Minister was speaking to reporters in Coimbatore where he was overseeing the distribution of essential commodities at fair price ration shops.
When asked about rumours that a particular community was involved in ‘spreading coronavirus’, the Minister replied that the virus doesn’t consider one’s caste or religion before infecting a person. Earlier this week, soon after it emerged that a conference of Islamic preachers had been the common link to several COVID-19 positive cases in Telangana and Tamil Nadu, Islamophobic posts and rumours were shared across social media platforms.
“There is no religion or caste to this. Each and every life is important. Coronavirus doesn’t affect based on caste or time. Every life in this nation is important. So please don’t spread rumours. If we spread rumours, it is like us bringing destruction upon ourselves. Please leave it. We will take action. Everyone’s life is important,” the Minister said.
He also asked those returning from foreign and domestic travel to disclose it to the government.
“Whoever it is, please give information. If the government gets to know, we will isolate them and take action, that’s why we are asking. It is for their treatment only,” he said.
As of Thursday, Tamil Nadu has reported 234 COVID-19 positive cases with six recoveries and one death so far. 110 of these cases are from people who attended the religious conference in New Delhi. The Health Secretary said on Wednesday that many who had attended the meeting at the Nizamuddin Markaz Masjid had come forward following the government’s call to self-declare.
Source: The News Minute