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HomeOpinionPoVIndians who made Covid ‘Muslim virus’ after Tablighi Jamaat are cheering Odisha’s...

Indians who made Covid ‘Muslim virus’ after Tablighi Jamaat are cheering Odisha’s Rath Yatra

Just one look at the crowds at Puri’s Jagannath Temple will tell you no social-distancing norms were maintained. That too at the height of India’s Covid spike.

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On 23 June, visuals of devotees swirling around Odisha’s famous Jagannath Puri temple flooded social media, causing one to momentarily forget that India is still in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic. A day earlier, the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, gave permission for the annual Rath Yatra in Odisha to be held, but with certain restrictions.

In an earlier decision, the SC had barred the 10-day festival stating that “Lord Jagannath will forgive us” for the decision. But five days later, the SC bench led by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde clearly did not have faith in its earlier pragmatic stance of holding off on the religious congregation at a time when India’s Covid-19 cases are spiking.

The petition against the Rath Yatra taking place this year, filed by Odisha-based NGO Odisha Vikas Parishad (OVP), had cited the example of the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, which made the news for becoming Delhi’s Covid hotspot and adding to the spurt of cases in the country.

Interestingly, a servitor of the Jagannath Temple has already tested positive for coronavirus. From the looks of footage from Odisha’s Jagannath Rath Yatra, we are probably looking at ‘Tablighi Jamaat 2.0’. But clearly, the media and those who spewed hate against all Muslims oddly don’t care much about the health of those at the temple.


Also read: Jagannath Yatra ⁠— a 462-year-old tradition that nearly got cancelled this year


Tablighi Jamaat fiasco

On 30 March this year, at least 200 people from southeast Delhi’s Nizamuddin area were taken for Covid-19 testing after seven people in the area tested positive.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah predicted the impending backlash Muslims would face, and he was, proven right soon after.

The Tablighi Jamaat Markaz was soon called the biggest Covid hotspot, not just in India, but in South Asia. Accusations against the non-political global Sunni Islamic missionary organisation flew thick and fast, with abuses targeted directly at the Muslim community.

Muslims in India are a highly fragmented community, made up of various sects and sub-sects, and Tablighi Jamaat represented one small fraction. Yet, Muslims as a whole were vilified for their “irresponsibility” and “dangerous” actions for weeks to come. From being maligned by both Hindi and English news anchors on a daily basis, to propaganda and false rumours about Muslim vegetable vendors spitting on vegetables to intentionally spread Covid-19 — the coronavirus had suddenly become a ‘Muslim virus’.

The most vitriolic statements came from some of the BJP’s top-most spokespersons such as Amit Malviya and Sambit Patra.

It wasn’t much of a surprise that Tablighi Jamaat came under the scanner more because it is associated with Islam. In fact, it even managed to eclipse the fact that the day after the nationwide lockdown was announced, UP CM Yogi Adityanath violated the lockdown to attend a Ram Navami event in Ayodhya. But the Right-wing was quick to defend Adityanath’s actions.

https://twitter.com/Payal_Rohatgi/status/1245198292906053632?s=20

BJP support for Jagannath Yatra

The BJP-led Centre took the initiative to restore the festivities at Odisha. Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to express his delight over the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse its earlier order, and allow for Odisha’s festivities to continue. Calling the decision about the Rath Yatra a matter of great “urgency”, he wrote that it was put urgently before a bench of the Supreme Court.

The same Supreme Court, which couldn’t do much for India’s migrant workers during the lockdown, showed utmost swiftness in this decision.

Ironically, guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on 30 May forbade such large gatherings.

But touting it as a victory for the people of Odisha, not an impending disaster during a pandemic, other top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, joined in with hearty congratulations.


Also read: Gujarat HC refuses to recall order barring Jagannath Rath Yatra in Ahmedabad


What restrictions? God will save us all

One wonders what kind of ‘restrictions’ the Supreme Court imposed in its order, because one look at the celebrations was evidence enough that no social distancing or safety guidelines were followed.

People have gathered in large numbers for the start of the festivities, including BJP’s Sambit Patra. Yes, the same Sambit Patra who cried foul almost every day while the members of Delhi’s Tablighi Jamaat were being looked for, landed in Puri to seek blessings from Lord Jagannath. It is worthy to note that he is a doctor, but did not bother to follow any social-distancing norms.

Our outrage at the Tablighi Jamaat gathering has now been eclipsed by the total lack of criticism of the Rath Yatra at Puri and the threat it poses to India’s Covid cases. The BJP’s visible and vocal support for the Hindu festival in Odisha almost seems as political as its denouncement of the Tablighi Jamaat.

While the Nizamuddin gathering was by no means justified, it took place when the cases were still trickling — India currently has more than 4 lakh cases. If the Rath Yatra ends up being a hotspot, will the Supreme Court take responsibility for it?

No divine intervention can help it then.

Views are personal.


Also read: Public lockdown discipline fast eroding, India risks becoming lax in Covid fight


 

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85 COMMENTS

  1. Tina das the writter of this article have you showed all the facts and truth.

    I am going to court for this article.
    Hiding fact is equally illogical and illegal.

    Lets see what happens.

    • Tina Das may have erred in not sharing Court advisory on ‘distance maintenance’ during Rath Yatra or even the right set of photos. (I don’t know but….)

      What Mr. Kili Jolsiyar commented on 26 June, 2020 at 2:33 pm is extremely valid.:
      1. Government officials were aware about the Jamaat meeting;
      2. visitors were allowed from Malaysia when Malaysia had already reported Covid infection.

      In other words, primary responsibility is with Government. So the real issue is because of ‘system failure’, did government allow media to make a bakra of TJ?

      Please note, I’m extremely upset by the behavior of TJ’s Maulvi and members behavior with health workers, etc.; but what else can one expect from our ‘scientifically illiterate’ brothers – Muslims; or Hindus? What can we expect when even school attendance is not compulsory? (Madrassas don’t follow CBSE syllabi)

      I applaud Ms. Das brave effort in bringing out this article and exposing the deeper sickness in our society. TY

  2. Without proper knowledge so called talented journo creating lots of unnecessary buzz. I condemn the print. Do journalim for Development not to divide. So that everyone not accepting the print. JAGANNATH WILL PUNISH YOU.

    • Mr Subhasis Ghosh: How this article can be classified as anti-India and anti-Hindu beats me. There are no such indications in the article.

      The dangers of carrying out this Jatra are high, despite all the precautions allegedly taken. Even to this day, not much is known about the virus except that it is highly contagious, can be lethal for many people who have other diseases that contribute to co-morbidity and is widespread in India. Additionally, the virus is mutating fast and there are no known cures or vaccines. The dis-infection measures and the screening of the people performing the pooja may give a degree of assurance. But even an idiot would tell you that the risk of contagion due to the presence of so many people at such close quarters actually goes up.

      Worse still, in a country where there are few hospital beds, fewer ventilators and overall abysmal healthcare infrastructure organising events of this sort is foolhardy to say the least. It might get the BJP votes, especially the votes of Hindutvadis and jingoists like yourself but increases the risks of the virus spreading. It is indeed mind-boggling to see BJP motormouth Sambit Patra – supposedly a trained doctor – flaunting all social-distancing norms and mingling with so many people.

      No wonder the Chinese are laughing at the Modi government – whilst grabbing Indian territory. After all, they know that Hindutva and displays of jingoism are what the government excels in – not looking after the health and interests of the citizens of India.

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