430 cases in Delhi have links to the Tablighi Jamaat event that took place in Nizamuddin Markaz (File)
The Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) has asked the Health Department to drop any mention of Tablighi Jamaat event in its daily bulletins on COVID-19 cases in Delhi.
In a letter to the Director/Secretary, Delhi Health Department, the DMC Chairman Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan said, "Your bulletins of Coronavirus victims are showing a separate column "Markaz Masjid". Such thoughtless classification is feeding into the Islamophobia agenda of the lap media and Hindutva forces and has been easily turned into a handle to attack Muslims across the country. As a result, Muslims are being attacked in various areas, calls are being made for their social boycott, one boy has been lynched in the North-West Delhi village of Harewali, others attacked."
The DMC letter further said, "World Health Organisation has taken cognizance of this phenomenon, unique to India. WHO Emergency Programme Director Mike Ryan said on April 6, "Countries should not profile novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in terms of religion or any other criteria"."
With 51 more COVID-19 positive cases on Thursday, the total number of positive cases in the national capital has risen to 720.
Out of the total 720 cases, 430 cases have links to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation that took place in Nizamuddin Markaz last month.