Who gave permissions for the Tablighi Jamaat religious event? asks Sharad Pawar

"Why was it so necessary for the media to hype it? It unnecessarily targets one community in the country, he said.

In what would lead to a political slugfest, NCP supremo and former Union minister Sharad Pawar on Monday wanted an answer as to who gave permission to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

Pawar also expressed displeasure saying that the media are unnecessarily targeting the Muslim community.

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Several of the cases of COVID-19 are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation held at Nizamuddin markaz in mid-March.

Pawar also lauded the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government for withdrawing permission to hold a gathering of 50,000 persons in Vasai near Mumbai.

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"If (Maharashtra) chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and home minister Anil Deshmukh can take such a decision, why the permission was not denied for a similar congregation in Delhi and who approved it?" he asked.

"Why was it so necessary for the media to hype it? It unnecessarily targets one community in the country," he added.