PM Modi had announced a nation-wide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the world. Thousands of police personnel, healthcare workers and doctors are battling constantly to contain the deadly disease while the entire government machinery is pulling all its efforts to handle the situation in India and world.
In such a time, the lockdown calls in Asansol, Bengal seemed to fail when a councillor from the ruling party TMC had appealed to Muslims on social media that the only way to ‘defeat and cure’ coronavirus is to perform Azaan.
As per a report in Times Now, Akhtar Hussain, a TMC councillor in Asansol had shared a video message on social media calling Muslims to gather for prayer. The councillor had reportedly claimed that prayer is the only way to defeat and cure the coronavirus.
#Breaking | SHOCKING: At a time when the entire country is on a 21-day lockdown, a TMC Councillor in Bengal has called out to Muslims to perform ‘Azan’ as that will be the only way to cure and defeat this epidemic.
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 26, 2020
Sreyashi with more details. | #IndiaBattlesCoronavirus pic.twitter.com/nsmi8uI2Ad
Following the councillor’s call, dozens of people had reportedly gathered to pray together, tossing the social distancing appeals in the bin and defying orders. As per the Times Now report, no police personnel were present to stop the large gatherings called by the TMC councillor.
In similar news, a Muslim mob in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh had gathered at a Mosque to pray despite government orders against religious gatherings. They had also attacked and threatened the policemen who had to call for reinforcements to handle the crowd.