NEW DELHI, April 1 - The Centre has directed the states and Union territories to intensify the contact tracing of Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat participants as it has increased the risk of containment efforts of COVID-19. The Cabinet Secretary, who held a meeting today through video conference with all the chief secretaries and police chiefs, asked them to complete the contact tracing process on a war footing basis.
The latest reports now indicate that an estimated 475 persons from Assam had participated in the Nizamuddin programme.
The Cabinet Secretary said it has been found that foreigners, who had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat, had violated visa conditions. The states were asked to initiate action for violation of visa condition against the foreigners and the organisers of the event, official sources said.
It was also noted that the lockdown is being implemented effectively all over the country and the states were asked to ensure that intra-state movement of goods is allowed without any hindrance while maintaining social distance.
Meanwhile, the list of 299 persons complete with their residential address and other contact details, which is in circulation, has generated a controversy as several persons have complained that they were not part of the congregation at Hazrat Nizamuddin.
These complainants took to Twitter and self-made videos to clarify their position that they were not part of the Nizamuddin gathering.
�Sir I am advocate in Delhi High Court and Supreme Court and stay in Faridabad. Surprised to see my name in the Nizamuddin congregation list as I just use that route to attend court daily and I have never attended such events. Kindly remove my name,� said Neelam Phukan in a tweet addressed to the Chief Minister of Assam.
He was among several who made tweets on similar lines.
However, one Asique Ilahi from Golaghat district, admitted that he was part of the congregation. He along with 14 others from his village had left Assam in January and after touring different parts of the country reached Delhi on March 22.
He said 300-400 people from Assam are still present in the Nizamuddin Markaz. He added that none of 400 persons returned home.
He claimed that nobody was affected by COVID-19 and there were no deaths as reported in the media.
He said they were taken in batches of 30 by the authorities for medical screening after which they were quarantined for 14 days. �The authorities have made arrangements to send us back home on the 15th day,� he added.
