Big propaganda in media against foreigners who had attended Tablighi Jamat event: Bombay High Court
Aug 22, 2020
Aurangabad (Maharashtra) [India], Aug 22 : The Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court, which quashed the FIRs filed against several foreign nationals in connection with the Tablighi Jamat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, noted that there was big propaganda in print and electronic media against the foreigners who had come to Markaz Delhi and an attempt was made to create a picture that these foreigners were responsible for spreading COVID-19 virus in India.
Advocate Mazhar Jahagirdar, who represented the petitioners in the case, referred to court's observation and said it had noted that a picture was shown that these people are responsible for spreading coronavirus disease.
He said the court had noted that while coronavirus epidemic or disaster was spreading its foot, a politically motivated government was looking for a scapegoat, and it seems that these foreigners were made the scapegoats.
The court said that all the circumstances and the latest figures related to the corona infection show that such steps were not required to be taken against the petitioners.
"In our culture, there is a saying like "atithi devo bhava" which means our guest is our God. The circumstances of the present matter create a question as to whether we are really acting as per our great tradition and culture," the court said.
The foreign nationals were accused of being involved in the Tablighi Jamat programme in violation of the terms of the tourist visa, due to which they were booked under various sections of the IPC, Epidemic Diseases Act, Maharashtra Police Act, Disaster Management Act and Foreigners Act.
The High Court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging several FIRs registered in Maharashtra against many foreign nationals, who had attended the Tablighi Jamat congregation in Delhi Nizamuddin area.
According to one of the FIRs in the matter, some foreign nationals who had attended the Tablighi Jamat congregation had taken shelter in a mosque in Ahmednagar.
The foreign nationals, who had come to India on tourist visas, were allegedly spreading COVID-19, spreading Muslim religion by giving speeches in mosques and had committed a breach of lockdown order issued by Collector, Ahmednagar, the FIR had said.
