B S Yediyurappa meets Muslim MLAs, seeks cooperation to contain COVID-19 in Karnataka

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday reached out to Muslim legislators seeking their cooperation in identifying those who visited the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi, besides using their influence over the community to help contain the coronavirus spread.

"They have agreed to help provide details of persons who were at the Markaz at Nizamuddin and also to convince them to undergo tests for COVID-19 and strict quarantine for the prescribed period," Yediyurappa said.

According to the Health department, some 1,500 people from the state may have attended the religious congregation in Delhi, which has emerged as an epicentre for the COVID-19 transmission. While there is no clarity on the exact numbers, the government has said that 391 of the attendees had been identified and quarantined.

In the meeting, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Saleem Ahmed said some 1,800 from the state had attended the event in February and only 90 went in March.

Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan requested any member of Tablighi Jamaat who visited Nizamuddin on March 13, 14 and 15 to a voluntary check-up done for COVID-19. "In my constituency (Chamarajpet), the Home department had formed a team to check those who took part at the Delhi event. A total of 11 people were tested and all were negative," Khan said.

Khan added that while there were curbs on community prayers at mosques, there was no restriction for Azaan - call for prayer from mosques.

During the meeting, the leaders also agreed to convince people from the community to cooperate with health workers conducting surveys for COVID-19 symptoms among residents in the state. An Asha worker was allegedly gheraoed by locals at Sadiq Nagar in Bengaluru earlier this week. Khan said that it was triggered by rumours that the Asha workers were carrying out surveys for the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Yediyurappa advised people of the state to not heed any rumours. "We must all strictly follow precautionary measures," he said.

Following their meeting with the CM, the Muslim leaders held talks with moulvis, including Maulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi, the Imam of the Bengaluru Jamia Masjid. The clerics were urged to inform members of the community to pray at home, instead of attending mosques.