The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has blacklisted 960 foreigners, who are currently in India on tourist visas, for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities.
The decision to blacklist the foreigners has been taken by the ministry under the directions of Union home minister Amit Shah, the ministry said.
All these 960 foreigners allegedly attended the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz.
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The Union home ministry has DGPs of all concerned states/union territories, commissioners of police and Delhi Police to take necessary legal action against the foreigners ‘on priority’ for violating the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The Tablighi Jamaat which was held at Nizamuddin Markaz has emerged as a new epicenter for the spread of Covid19 in different parts of India after thousands of people took part in a congregation from March 1-15.
“Instructions have been issued to take action, on priority, under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Disaster Management Act, 2005,” officials said.
Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday registered 23 FIRs against more than 100 foreigners who had violated visa rules and participated in Tablighi Jamaat activities in the state.
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During a five-day-long operation carried out by Delhi Police this week, a total of 2,361 people were evacuated from the Banglewali mosque in Nizamuddin.
The religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Markaz has been identified as the reason behind 20 per cent of the total reported Covid19 positive cases so far, with 19 casualties across different states.
According to the Union health ministry, about 400 positive cases have been found so far whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to this cluster.
Out of about 2,000 members in Delhi, 1,804 have been quarantined and 334 admitted to hospitals, said the ministry.
The Tablighi Jamaat activities infected people in Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh, J&K, Karnataka among others.
It has been claimed that all the 16 positive cases in Assam and two in Manipur have Tablighi Jamaat connection.
As many as 400 Tablighi Jamaat participants or their contacts have been found Covid19 positive across India.
According to reports, the foreigners who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi came from 16 countries, including Malaysia and Thailand on tourist visas but attended the event violating norms.