Monday, July 13, 2020
Let’s talk about how Tablighi Jamaat turned Covid hate against Muslims around
RASHEED KIDWAI and NAGHMA SAHAR
After all those days of hate, there was redemption for Tablighi Jamaat in the end. Some say it was in keeping with what Quran teaches.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s seminal work, Death and Dying, describes the five distinct stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. While the Swiss-American psychiatrist was speaking about the series of emotions terminally ill patients go through, the first of the five stages that she postulated possibly holds true for a section of India’s people when the country was trying to come to terms with COVID-19 in the initial days of the pandemic.
The spread of the virus in the early months had then exposed the country’s second-largest religious group to a vulnerability born out of denial. Indiscretion and reckless behaviour by members of the Tablighi Jamaat had purportedly led to a spurt in coronavirus-positive cases, not only in Delhi but also in many other parts of the country.
An international gathering of Tablighis — preachers or a society to spread the faith —had taken place in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin area in March 2020, drawing hundreds of foreign nationals from Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan. Despite a government order prohibiting large gatherings, more than 4,500 people had assembled at the Tablighi Jamaat Markaz (headquarters).
Media reports had quoted government sources as saying that since 1 January 2020, over 2,000 foreigners from 70 countries had arrived in India to participate in Jamaat activities. As the Covid-19 lockdown came into force on 25 March 2020, over 1,000 were left stranded in Nizamuddin.
Within days, a state of panic had set in as reports of Covid-19 deaths and positive cases started coming in from various parts of the country. By early April, private television news channels had begun insisting that over 30 per cent of the corona-positive cases had the “Tablighi Virus.”
Political factors were at play too. The country was already in ferment over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
The Tablighis’ state of alleged ignorance was dubbed a “Himalayan” blunder as a heavy dose of media onslaught, Islamophobia and blame game followed. As Najmul Hoda, a Chennai-based IPS officer, lamented on his Facebook wall, Covid-19 looked like a common cold in comparison to the plague of communal hatred.
Tablighi virus, Corona Jihad, stories of discrimination, Quran, divine injunction, Muslim society, deadly virus, Covid-19, Muslim clergy, Indian Muslims, social distancing, community prayers, letter of appreciation
Political factors were at play too. The country was already in ferment over the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens. Shaheen Bagh and its women protesters were making international headlines and the February 2020 riots in Delhi had deepened the sectarian divide, exacerbating religious tensions. It was in this situation that the Tablighi Jamaat held its congregation. According to data shared by Equality Labs (a digital human rights group) with TIME magazine, the hashtag ‘Corona Jihad’ appeared nearly 300,000 times.
The online attack became more and more vicious as reports of people leaving for different parts of the country from the Markaz poured in. For days, “Tablighi virus” and “Corona Jihad” trended on Twitter. Our entire focus shifted from fighting and containing COVID-19 to fighting the Tablighis and the Muslims, who the general population started equating as one and the same. Those were the initial days of our COVID-stricken lives, unsure of what awaited us and we were quick to blame the Markaz for all our misery.
The usual practice of portraying Muslims as the other came into play, as did indulging in victimhood.
In the midst of this Islamophobic onslaught, many articles and tweets expressed fears of a Muslim apartheid. The usual practice of portraying Muslims as the other came into play, as did indulging in victimhood.
“Social media, as ever, remained truculent and toxic. Generally speaking, Muslims continue to use social media space to indulge in their victimhood addiction,” observed Najmul Hoda.
While the community needed to address the elephant in the room and could not be absolved of its responsibility for wrongful acts by the Tablighis, the polarised discourse that was unleashed in mainstream media impacted the psyche of the general population. Most Muslims came out against the Jamaat, but the entire community was still clubbed together and labelled the “Superspreader”.
But the way the Tablighi Jamaat’s role and, by extension, of the entire Muslim population’s involvement in the spread of the virus was covered by the mainstream media, it suddenly felt that Covid-19 had a religion.
The Tablighis were guilty for sure for the congregation of thousands of people despite the prohibitory orders, and of not reporting cases, but the wave of hatred failed to see that the Tablighi Jamaat is not the sole representative of India’s 170 million Muslims and its actions should not be linked with the larger community. It is also pertinent to note that the Tablighi Jamaat preaches a narrow interpretation of Islam to some sections of Muslim society.
But the way the Tablighi Jamaat’s role and, by extension, of the entire Muslim population’s involvement in the spread of the virus was covered by the mainstream media, it suddenly felt that COVID-19 had a religion.
Soon, stories of discrimination against the poorer sections among Muslims started coming out. NDTV reported how vendors in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh were allegedly targeted and stopped from selling vegetables by people who accused them of being members of the Tablighi Jamaat and of spreading the coronavirus.
Old sociological problems, such as overcrowded ghettos, lack of hygiene and low levels of awareness, became handy tools again to stigmatise the community.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, Suresh Tiwari, warned people against buying vegetables from Muslims. The defiant leader was later asked to explain his comment by his party chief.
A video shared widely on Facebook and on Twitter purportedly showed Muslims intentionally sneezing on each other. It was later debunked by the fact-checking website AltNews.
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Several video clips purportedly showing COVID-positive members of the Tablighi Jamaat misbehaving with hospital staff and other patients found space on prime-time debates. Old sociological problems, such as overcrowded ghettos, lack of hygiene and low levels of awareness, became handy tools again to stigmatise the community.
The reaction from the community was at times defiant, while some took to social media to counter the hate being peddled with tweets that were either equally toxic or full of self-pity.
A closer look at the role the Muslim clergy played reveals a far more constructive engagement than what has been projected by the mainstream media.
It was at this point that the Muslim clergy, intellectuals and other community leaders stepped in. On 2 April, seven signatories — Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Chairman, Delhi Minorities Commission; Prof. Akhtarul Wasey, President, Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur; Prof. Mohsin Usmani Nadwi, President, Human Welfare Society; Prof. A.R. Kidwai, Director, K.A. Nizami Center for Quranic studies, AMU; Masoom Moradabadi, Secretary, All India Urdu Editors Conference; Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, Managing Editor, Daily Siasat, Hyderabad, and Prof. Iqtedar Mohd. Khan, Deptt. Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi — issued an appeal to the government to take into consideration the “genuine constraints faced by certain people.” They argued that it was not a time to find fault. “Any attempt to give it a sectarian twist would weaken our battle against the deadly virus,” they said.
A closer look at the role the Muslim clergy played reveals a far more constructive engagement than what has been projected by the mainstream media. As early as 6 March, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahli, Lucknow-based Imam, Eidgah, had asked mosque-going Muslims to take preventive measures against Covid-19, and told them to avoid congregations and coughing and sneezing in public.
Firangimahli was among many religious heads across the country who issued fatwas saying that the fight against the coronavirus was a religious obligation.
A broad consensus that was worked out decided against special Eid prayers at Eidgahs and at mosques, etc. Islamic seminaries, such as the Darul Uloom, Nadwa and Deoband, issued fatwas asking the faithful to offer Eid prayers at home.
A major challenge came during the month-long period of Ramadan — that began in the last week of April — in terms of enforcing social distancing and avoiding guests at the breaking of fast (iftar) and at community prayers (tarahwih), etc. But enforcing a sense of discipline among 170 million people sharply divided on sectarian and linguistic lines was done with remarkable ease and voluntary compliance.
As Ramadan is closely followed by Eid, suspension of the customary Eid prayer posed another hurdle. However, a broad consensus that was worked out decided against special Eid prayers at Eidgahs (where special Eid prayers are held) and at mosques, etc. Islamic seminaries, such as the Darul Uloom, Nadwa and Deoband, issued fatwas asking the faithful to offer Eid prayers at home.
The results were so good that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called up Firangimahli in Lucknow and congratulated him, saying that Eid prayers throughout the state had been observed without any incident of the virus spreading. The state government also issued a letter of appreciation.
Those members of the Tablighi Jamaat who had tested positive for the virus, and have since been cured, came forward in huge numbers to donate their blood plasma — containing anti-viral antibodies — and helped cure many affected people.
Eid ul-Fitr 2020 saw the largest ever participation of women in family prayers. That prompted Najmul Huda, the IPS officer, to say “thanks” to the virus for bringing gender equality to every Muslim home. “May it get institutionalised. Corona, I can’t really say thank you to you, but it’s thanks to you,” he wrote.
There were other positives too. Charity acted as a great succor as appeals were issued to channelise Ramadan and Eid shopping for the needy. Maulana Naeem Ur Rahman Siddiqui, secretary of the Islamic Centre of India, claims that zakat — or charity — saw a rise of over 50 per cent as compared to the previous year.
Not to forget, the redemption and acknowledgement that came after all those days of hate. If the members of the Tablighi Jamaat were guilty of ignorance in the initial phase of the pandemic, they turned adversity they had wrought upon themselves into opportunity in the form of penance. Those who had tested positive for the virus, and have since been cured, came forward in huge numbers to donate their blood plasma — containing anti-viral antibodies — and helped cure many affected people.
Some say it was in keeping with what the Quran teaches — that divine injunction is not for returning evil with good, but with the best. It says: “Good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with what is best, and you will see that the one you had mutual enmity with, will become the closest of friends.”
#Pakistan #PPP - Bilawal says govt reduced testing 'on purpose', questions claim of slowing virus cases
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday accused the PTI government of putting the lives of people in danger by lowering Covid-19 testing capacity "on purpose" while refuting the claim that coronavirus cases in the country were going down.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the PPP chairman said Prime Minister Imran Khan and his ministers were "making a mockery" of themselves when they claimed that the graph of coronavirus cases was going down.
"If you stop testing, then the graph will [obviously] go down. But the same number of people will fall ill and die," Bilawal said.
"They are putting the lives and the health of the people in danger. They are lowering testing capacity [...] this is a conspiracy against the people, they're not fooling anyone."
On the other hand, Bilawal claimed that Sindh was conducting the highest tests per capita and had the most intensive care unit (ICU) and high dependency unit (HDU) beds per capita.
"When the Centre was celebrating 100 days of battling the pandemic at the National Command and Control Centre, the Sindh health minister was inaugurating a 50-bed infectious diseases hospital in Karachi."
Earlier today, PPP's Central Information Secretary Nafisa Shah in a statement also said that a reduction in the number of coronavirus tests being conducted by the Centre should not be taken to mean that coronavirus cases in the country are decreasing.
Shah claimed there were crowds lining up at the country's hospitals and patients were facing difficulties. "People in the country have recovered but new cases are also emerging in large numbers." she said.
She warned that the federal government taking credit for a reduction in the number of cases by reducing testing could "prove to be destructive" and alleged that the Centre was making "misleading statements" in front of the country and international community.
During his presser, Bilawal also claimed that despite being given limited funds by the Centre, his party's government in Sindh had managed to provide relief to the people, frontline health workers and poor farmers affected by locusts by not allocating funds for new development schemes in the budget for the new fiscal year.
"The fiscal space that we created by doing this, we are spending it on protecting people's lives and providing them support during these tough times.
"The same steps should have been taken in other provinces. The Centre should have paused the Public Sector Development Programme and used that fiscal space to save the people's lives and health."
He maintained that the PPP's actions showed that it was committed to helping the people during this difficult time, claiming that Sindh was the only province offering free Covid-19 testing and treatment.
"If you need to get tested and don't have the money, we will do it for free. If you can't afford treatment for Covid-19, the government will provide it. We are the only province that has been doing this since day one."
The PPP chairman also dedicated a part of today's press conference to criticising the premier and the PTI for poor governance.
"The PTI has broken records of corruption. You can't spell the word corruption without PTI," he said, adding that government departments were being used to facilitate this.
#Pakistan - #PPP - #PTI’s government most corrupt in Pakistan’s history as even word Corruption cannot be spelt without PTI, says Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that PTI government is the most corrupt government in history and Imran Khan is breaking the record of corruption while the word corruPTIon cannot be spelt without PTI.
“PIA was ruined due to corruption; the whole Punjab is being run on witchcraft and corruption. Every contract, every DC is running from corruption, BRT is the white elephant of corruption that runs Khan’s kitchen and PTI’s election campaign; the contract was given to Ali Zaidi’s front man; NAB and other federal Institutions facilitate the menace of corruption; there is no electricity in Karachi but zero power outages in Bani Gala; Imran Khan’s ATM Abraaj Group and K-Electric are sucking the blood of the people of Karachi and consuming gas worth billions of rupees,” he said while addressing a press conference together with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho, Minister Information and Local Government Nasir Shah, Minister Education Saeed Ghani, Advsior to CM Murtaza Wahab and MPA Sharjil Memon at Sindh Assembly on Monday.
He placed another challenge before the Prime Minister Imran Khan to conduct Coronavirus tests in any province equal to Sindh and warned that if the incompetence of the PTI government does not stop, we will march towards Islamabad in spite of Coronavirus and drag them out. “He (Imran Khan) has failed on every front and there is no justification for him to remain in office. The issue of missing persons is serious and can be exploited by internal and external enemies. Minus one or minus all, there can be no minus democracy. Imran Khan damaged the Kashmir cause but still says foreign policy is successful. Benazir Bhutto had said that wherever the Kashmiris sweat, our blood will flow.
Speaking about the COVID-19 deaths, the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that when one person dies in a family, it affects the whole family. Even if he is only sick, it affects the family because he cannot earn. The Sindh government is working in this regard. If a bread-earner dies of COVID-19, we will give his family food support under a programme. Because we know the Federal government is incompetent. People are becoming unemployed and this is bound to increase. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, there was a negative growth. “For the first time, the Sindh government has not introduced any new development scheme in its budget. We will complete the old schemes,” he added.
PPP Chairman further said that people have to be supported in difficult economic situation. The same thing should have happened in the whole country. All the provinces and the Federal government should have done it. No new scheme should have been introduced due to this grave crisis but this is the difference between PPP and other parties. We think it is the responsibility of the state. We are showing through our actions that the support of the people is important and despite the limited resources and difficulties, we are trying.
He said that people affected by COVID-19 need treatment and if they can’t afford it, the Sindh government will provide it free of cost. Those who are accusing us should compare us with them. The Coronavirus tests are being conducted in large numbers only in Sindh. Only the Sindh government is trying to find the affected. Testing capacity, ICU bed, high dependence bed capacity are in highest numbers in Sindh as compared to other provinces per capita. Sindh Health Minister has set up a 50-bed hospital in Karachi within 100 days. NICVD-style network of hospitals for the treatment of infectious diseases will be set up all over Sindh. Wherever the PTI government is imposed, they are deliberately reducing testing on Coronavirus. They are endangering the health and well-being of the people of Pakistan. If it is not known who is sick, not only will the life of the sick be in danger, but also the surrounding healthy people. All the ministers, including the Prime Minister are claiming that the graph of Coronavirus positive people is coming down by reducing the tests.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Federal government was endangering the lices people of Pakistan, paramedics and doctors. World is telling us to increase tests and this incompetent government is ignoring it, too. Federal government has also reduced social protection money and the provincial government’s budget. Sindh government is side by side with doctors and paramedics. We have announced a risk allowance and demand that the same formula be adopted in every province and Islamabad. Doctors, paramedics who are risking their lives should be given security allowance while Sindh government is also enacting legislation in this regard.
PPP Chairman stressed that only salute and uses good words for medical professionals were not enough but practical steps are also needed. They are not being regularised, they are not being given risk allowance, they are not being tested, the Federal government has left the people destitute. On the one hand, we are fighting a pandemic and on the other hand, we are fighting the biggest locust attack in several decades. “We are ready; we will fight at every stage. PPP has a record. We have increased the revenue whenever came into power. But PTI shrank the revenue even before the COVID-19. These people are attacking the NFC to cut provinces’ share. Federal government has failed to collect taxes.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pointed out that PTI was staging drama on corruption as everyone knows that the PTI government is the most corrupt government in history as even Transparency International has certified it through correspondence. “Now Transparency International is saying that the PTI government is the most corrupt government also see the report of their Auditor General which documented corruption and irregularities worth Rs270 billion in its first year in power. If Imran Khan was in opposition, he would not get tired of complaining of corruption. Imran Khan is the only politician who benefited from the amnesty scheme, Musharraf’s first NRO was for Imran Khan and his father was removed on charges of corruption. They have forgot name of Aleema Khan as buildings are being erected in New York with a petty sewing machine business. Where are the money trails?”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari pointed out that PTI was staging drama on corruption as everyone knows that the PTI government is the most corrupt government in history as even Transparency International has certified it through correspondence. “Now Transparency International is saying that the PTI government is the most corrupt government also see the report of their Auditor General which documented corruption and irregularities worth Rs270 billion in its first year in power. If Imran Khan was in opposition, he would not get tired of complaining of corruption. Imran Khan is the only politician who benefited from the amnesty scheme, Musharraf’s first NRO was for Imran Khan and his father was removed on charges of corruption. They have forgot name of Aleema Khan as buildings are being erected in New York with a petty sewing machine business. Where are the money trails?”
PPP Chairman further said that Special Assistant to the Prime Minister who is a British citizen, has a name in Panama, for which his name is also removed from ECL, even the most incompetent fugitive is hiding from NAB; corruption in polio, corruption in Hajj, so much corruption is in PIA that the institution is suffering implosion. Because of their incompetence and corruption, flights cannot go to any country due to corruption of ministers with fake degrees; corruption is everywhere but you do not report. “The whole Punjab is running on corruption; ask who appoints each post, who gets the money; corruption in KPT, corruption in Malam Jabba, corruption in Billion Tree, foreign funding case. Media and NAB are silence and there is no Suo moto. Corruption on sugar, corruption on flour, corruption on oil, robbery on the pocket of every Pakistani and the media is silent but waking for criticism on us; this chain of hypocrisy has to be stopped; the selector has to answer that you said that there will be no corruption but now what has happened; BRT is the white elephant of corruption which is the most delicious, which runs Khan’s kitchen; PTI’s election campaign runs from the money minted from the BRT and Ali Zaidi’s front man is its contractor. Ali Zaidi runs the kitchen of Imran Khan.
He asked why the Supreme Court does not remove the stay order from BRT. Sindh Chief Minister appears before NAB in Islamabad every other day while he is battling an epidemic. If there are no two systems, then stay should be removed from BRT, case should be started in NAB and corruption should be exposed. How much corruption there is in railways, how much corruption is happening in post office, all records have been broken, he added.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari revealed that the FIA report about the corruption of Imran Khan’s ATM Abraaj Group and K Electric has been suppressed. Imran Khan supports Abraaj Group and they suck the blood of the people of Karachi. They are stealing gas, not paying a single rupee, there is no agreement; no one is willing to talk about it. There is load shedding for hours; People of Karachi are paying the bills for the electricity they don’t have. Is it an injustice that there is no electricity in Karachi except Bani Gala.
This is a big corruption scandal. In our time, there was a story of furious corruption and I don’t know if you people stand up. If the media intends to be neutral, then make a program on it. This government has failed at every forum; there is no justification for Imran Khan to continue as the Prime Minister. Foreign policy has wiped out the economy, drowned the health sector; how long will we continue to tolerate an incompetent and selected government?
This is a big corruption scandal. In our time, there was a story of furious corruption and I don’t know if you people stand up. If the media intends to be neutral, then make a program on it. This government has failed at every forum; there is no justification for Imran Khan to continue as the Prime Minister. Foreign policy has wiped out the economy, drowned the health sector; how long will we continue to tolerate an incompetent and selected government?
PPP Chairman said that 23 days have passed but his challenge has not been accepted. “I had said that the government should show a single NICVD-level hospital in the whole country where the poor can get free treatment. Prime Minister was challenged in the National Assembly to come face to face and have a debate.He said that today, he is giving a new challenge. Let’s see if he accepts it or not, whether it is Punjab, KP or the federation, you can show it by doing corona testing equal to Sindh; if you claim to lead the world then you should try find the affected. Don’t run away from today’s challenge, show it by competing in per capita testing in Sindh.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that he was grateful that Maulana Fazlur Rehman for coming to Bilawal House and meeting President Asif Ali Zardari and him. Forming a committee to improve the working relationship, we are in touch with other opposition parties. If Shahbaz Sharif recovers, there will be an all-party conference in which he will present his position to other parties. We have only democratic and constitutional options. We cannot be part of any undemocratic effort.
He warned that if this trend continues which endangers the life and health of every Pakistani, the economic situation is in jeopardy and the government is not ready to help, this attitude continues, if the NFC continues to be attacked, then there will be no option but to protest; we will march to Islamabad and drag them out. If you continue to conspire despite the difficult situation, we will do our job.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that we had never got intimidated by Zia or Musharraf; no matter how many JITs they would bring, we are not ready to compromise. Instead of solving the problems of the troubled people, they bring JITs. The Missing Persons Commission and the NAB Chairman are one and the same man. “I urge the government to work. People are disappearing from all over Pakistan. Incidents of terrorism increase the sensitivity and anxiety of the people. We have to resolve these issues through dialogue. Every missing person will have to be taken home. It can’t go unchecked because when it happens the blame falls on the state on people going missing. The job of the state is to find the people. The whole CIA and FBI would stand up if an American went missing. This thread must be closed. There should be no missing persons. There should be no targeted killings. Minus one or minus all, the democracy cannot be minus. The only solution to the problems identified is democracy. If there is a dictatorial solution, then it is a matter of not uniting but breaking Pakistan.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that we had never got intimidated by Zia or Musharraf; no matter how many JITs they would bring, we are not ready to compromise. Instead of solving the problems of the troubled people, they bring JITs. The Missing Persons Commission and the NAB Chairman are one and the same man. “I urge the government to work. People are disappearing from all over Pakistan. Incidents of terrorism increase the sensitivity and anxiety of the people. We have to resolve these issues through dialogue. Every missing person will have to be taken home. It can’t go unchecked because when it happens the blame falls on the state on people going missing. The job of the state is to find the people. The whole CIA and FBI would stand up if an American went missing. This thread must be closed. There should be no missing persons. There should be no targeted killings. Minus one or minus all, the democracy cannot be minus. The only solution to the problems identified is democracy. If there is a dictatorial solution, then it is a matter of not uniting but breaking Pakistan.
Talking about Opposition, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that our number is increasing as Mengal’s party is also being counted in the opposition. “We will not take any undemocratic approach but what can we do if it falls automatically?
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