Hyderabad: Last year during the COVID-19 locked up, a joint effort was made by malicious groups to target Muslims and portray them as super-spreaders of the virus. The hate campaign worked and it was carried out as members of the Tablighi Jamaat held a rally in March 2020, and the cases spread to some extent.
This time during the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 virus, several Muslim organizations across the country have set up helplines and put volunteers on the ground to help those in need. On April 30, the Student Islamic Organization (SIO), India, COVID-19 helpline number after setting up a dedicated team of volunteers last week. In fact, the SIO and Jama’t Islami organizations have also transformed their headquarters in India COVID care centers to help people in need.
Talk to Siasat.com, said national president of SIO Salman Ahmed, “COVID-19 patients or servants can convey their needs through two 24 × 7 helpline numbers started by the organization or through social media. He added that a team of volunteers mapped resources across the country and verified information on social media and the internet, after which patients were connected to relevant resource providers.
Salman further stated that they ‘COVID-19 Relief Task Force ‘consists of more than 1000 volunteers from across the country who will work 24 × 7. “A plasma registration donor will be done to connect them with patients,” he said. The helpline number for Telangana State is 7303373374. Those in need can also tag SIO Telangana handles on Twitter @SIOTelangana or @Mdfaraz_ or hashtag #SOSSIO for help.
Serves not only for Muslims but also humanity in general
Dr Talha Fayazuddin, the Telangana president of SIO, tells Siasat.com“Islam teaches us the dignity of a person, dead or alive, regardless of race, religion or language.” He said it was natural for people to think that an ‘Islamic organization’ would only work for Muslims, but added that this was far from the truth. “We work broadly for humanity and are willing to serve everyone from any community,” he said. SIO is actually ready to help anyone and everyone.
Building bridges between communities through social work
Salman Ahmed said that the rise of COVID-19 last year in India marked by a relentless sneaking campaign by the media and the forces against Tablighi Jamaat and the Muslim community in general. ‘Since then, SIO, along with the Muslim community, has been largely involved in welfare activities to alleviate the pain of people suffering from the pandemic and lockdown imposed by the government.
“These activities provide a contrasting view of the Islamic faith and Muslims to the country as those offered by 24 × 7 channels, and have helped change the perception of many people.” Finally, he added that although these activities help improve the image of the community, they are not going to ‘appease’ non-Muslims.
“We will continue this work no matter how someone experiences us. The images of skull-bearing, bearded men risking their lives to help others have certainly helped change the attitudes and perceptions of people built by years of hateful propaganda against Muslims, “said Dr. Talha. added that anti-Muslim hatred is very deeply rooted and that it will require sustained efforts of community involvement, along with education and awareness initiatives to eliminate it completely.
Dr Talha also said that it is the responsibility of the educated and intellectual people from the other communities to lead at the front by sensitizing and educating their respective communities.
Mask campaign in Nizamabad, Adilabad
With a view to increasing covid cases in Telangana, SIO in Nizamabad and Adilabad have also launched an awareness campaign called “Mask Up Please”. SIO called on students and young people to covid protocol, and also spread awareness among citizens to proceed to help and support the victims of COVID-19 and their families.
Source: The Siasat Daily