Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday, 2 May, that the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was responsible for the massive surge in the COVID-19 cases of the country.
Speaking to Aaj Tak he said, “What Tablighi Jamaat did was condemnable. Had they not behaved in that manner, the country would have managed the coronavirus situation during the first phase of lockdown.”
He added that what the Tablighi Jamaat had done was a criminal act, and that they should be dealt with accordingly. He also said contracting the disease was not a crime, but to ‘hide a disease like COVID-19’ was a criminal act, and that action will be taken against those who broke the law.
According to a report by the Delhi police around 16,500 people visited Jamaat’s headquarters in Nizamuddin between 13 and 24 March.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India on Sunday, 3 May rose to 39,980 including 28,046 active cases, 10,633 cured/discharged/migrated patients and 1,301 deaths according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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