New Delhi: The nation is under 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus infection. The government has strictly outlawed any kind of social gathering.

It has been found that religion has often caused harm to the world and humanity as a whole. The recent Nizamuddin event is perfect example to testify this statement as this congested Nizamuddin Basti has turned into a Covid-19 hotspot for the sake of an Islamic gathering.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs amidst this nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus terror said that the Central Waqf Council has asked state Waqf Boards to appeal to Muslims to observe the lockdown during Shab-e-Barat festival on April 8 and 9.

He said the Boards will also appeal to the people to cooperate with authorities in observing social distancing norms.

Naqvi pointed out that various religious leaders and organisations representing the Muslims have already pleaded to the community members to observe lockdown during the festival on April 8 and 9.

Recently, Tablighi Jamaat, an Islamic reformist group, had a large gathering of more than 3,000 people on 13 March in Nizamuddin with foreign nationals from Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia, a hot spot for the deadly virus.

According to the government reports the Jamaat gathering has been held responsible for having spread the virus to such a doubling rate. As the cases of Covid-19 cases in the country is presently 4.1 days and this would have been 7.4 days had the Tablighi jamaat cases not surfaced.

Shab-e-Barat, is celebrated by the Muslim which in Islamic faith means the Night of Forgiveness or the Day of Atonement. This is considered to be an occasion when the Almighty forgives sinners if they pray.

Shab-e-Barat is observed on the night between the 14 and 15th day of the eighth month of the Islamic calendar, the occasion is marked by Muslims assembling in mosques and revisiting graves of their departed loved ones.

Naqvi said, "The whole country is observing a lockdown and any carelessness on our part can increase the problems for our family, our society and the nation".

Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari said: "The Muslims have to pray on Shab-e-Barat. Nowhere is it said that they have to visit mosques or throng the streets. Stay in your homes and pray and take all precautions.

"In normal times, the faithful in thousands gather at the Jama Masjid, while hundreds throng the streets outside and indulge in even sloganeering. However, this time, the country is facing the coronavirus crisis and we have to be careful."

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind leader Mahmood Madni has also appealed to the Muslims in India to remain indoors and pray and read the Quran. He emphasised the need to maintain social distancing and said nothing that endangers personal safety and violates the law of the land and ‘shariyat' should be done.

The tweet shared by the Delhi Police urged the people of the Muslim community to support the department in the battle against COVID-19 and added that “Lockdown is in force even on the sacred night of Shab-e-Barat on April 8 and 9, 2020.”