Nitins reach out to Muslims with Covid-safe Ramzan plan

Shishir Arya | TNN | Apr 30, 2020, 04:38 IST

Social activists and clerics were urged at the meeting to motivate community members to abstain from practices that may lead to further spread of infection during the month of Ramzan

Social activists and clerics were urged at the meeting to motivate community members to abstain from practices...Read More

Nagpur: With majority of Covid-19 cases coming from Muslim-dominated Mominpura and Satranjipura localities, political leaders cutting across party lines reached out to the community members.
In a meeting held at the district collectorate on Wednesday, social activists and clerics were urged to motivate community members to abstain from practices that may lead to further spread of infection during the month of Ramzan.
The meet, convened by district guardian minister Nitin Raut, was also attended by city MP and Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
Raut told TOI that he had personally gone to invite Gadkari and it was an attempt to put across a message that political leadership and bureaucracy was with the community in ensuring their well-being.
“However, certain practices that happen during Ramzan like eating in the same plate, gathering during namaz etc need to be avoided. The community leaders have agreed to cooperate,” said Raut.
The minister said that the meet was organized after a large number of cases were detected from Mominpura and Satranjipura.
Some of the activists present in the meet raised their voice about the community being singled out.
There were also calls to have sample survey combing for Covid-19 cases all over the city, instead of drives in limited areas.
On this, Raut told the gathering that a large number of samples have already been taken, though the numbers can be high from areas where positive cases were found.
Other leaders present were state’s minister for animal husbandry Sunil Kedar and former MLA Satish Chaturvedi. Among the bureaucrats who attended the meet include district collector Ravindra Thakre, NMC chief Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner of police BK Upadhyaya and divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar.
Social activist Shabbir Ahmed Vidrohi said mass quarantining had led to social ostracizing of families. “Measures are needed to alleviate the economic hardships faced by lower income group on account of the lockdown. Action like sampling should not be limited and cover all,” Vidrohi told TOI.
He suggested as it happens during malaria survey, health workers should collect samples from door-to-door, instead of mass quarantining.
Dr Naeem Khan, a radiologist who was active during the anti-NRC-CAA movement, also called for a random screening of population across the city. There may be several asymptomatic Covid-19 positive persons in the city who can only be found if a sample survey is done covering all localities, said Dr Khan.
He said instead of mass quarantining, swab samples can be taken from homes and only the positive cases can be put into isolation. Khan also complained of delay in getting test results which leads to extended stay at quarantine centres.