Coronavirus: Mamata Banerjee deprecates communal politics over Nizamuddin event

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday slammed those indulging in "communal politics" over the Tablighi Jamaat event in New Delhi's Nizamuddin and asked them to refrain from doing so at a time of national crisis.

Thousands of people across the country and abroad had attended the religious congregation in the national capital between March 13 and 15 after the Delhi government had promulgated orders prohibiting gatherings of more than 200 people.

Many of the attendees later tested positive for COVID-19 and several of them died.

Questioning why the event was not stopped when it happened last month, Banerjee said her government took steps to send around 200 Tablighi Jamaat members to quarantine, including 108 foreigners.

"We have been witnessing that some people are indulging in communal politics over the Nizamuddin event. This is completely unacceptable. A pandemic or a disease doesn't attack you on the basis of your religion or caste. I urge everybody not to communalise the crisis," Banerjee told reporters here.

"Now, a lot of things are being said. This is not right. We should not forget that a riot happened in Delhi just days before the lockdown was announced. At that time there was also a disaster going on in Madhya Pradesh. This is not the time for communal politics," she said.

She did not elaborate on the "disaster" in Madhya Pradesh, but a political crisis was going on in the state that culminated in the resignation of chief minister Kamal Nath on March 20.

About the foreigners who were in quarantine, Banerjee said her administration acted immediately after knowing about them from the Centre and identified the 108 people from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Thailand.

"We have carried our responsibilities well. After we were given the information, our administration quietly took the 108 foreigners to a quarantine centre in Rajarhat within six hours. For the last 10 days, they are there under the monitoring of the state health department and the state administration," she said.

"As many as 69 from West Bengal who had gone to the (Tablighi Jamaat) event in New Delhi are also with them. Over 200 people have been kept at the quarantine centre at Haj Tower Cum Empowerment Centre," she added.

Read: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

On reports about the possibility of the 21-day nationwide lockdown getting extended, Banerjee said she is not aware of any such proposal as of now.

"I am not aware of it as of now. Whenever I speak with the prime minister, I will give my opinion. I won't speak on this issue before that," she said.

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"But I can feel the problems the people are facing due to the lockdown. But coronavirus is a bigger problem. So, I feel that even if the lockdown gets extended, we must see it from a humanitarian point of view. It should not cause more problem for people. We should impose strictness but not overdo it. People must also follow the lockdown norms," she said.

The chief minister said there was no communication from the Centre regarding her state government's repeated request to immediately release funds to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

"We have written so many letters to them. My finance minister also spoke to the union finance minister... We are waiting and watching," she said.