Don’t Communalise COVID Crisis: Leaders Urge Unity as Cases Swell

From BJP Chief Nadda to Maharashtra CM Thackeray, politicians warn against communalising the coronavirus pandemic.

From BJP Chief JP Nadda to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, politicians warn against communalising COVID-19 crisis.

Photo: The Quint/Erum Gour

As India battles the coronavirus outbreak, political leaders have stepped forward requesting citizens and party members to come together at this moment of crisis.

Over the last few days, social media platforms have been abuzz with campaigns like ‘Coronajihad’ targeting Islam and Muslims after over 400 members who attended the Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi tested positive for COVID-19.

Apart from the concern over the pandemic taking on a communal hue in India, lack of cooperation between states too has been a setback in tackling the virus.

Here’s a look at the unified message that senior political leaders’ across parties have been giving out at this crucial time.

BJP Chief JP Nadda’s Message to Party Leaders

BJP president JP Nadda has reportedly asked party leaders not to make statements that communalise the coronavirus crisis. Nadda cautioned the party’s national office bearers on Thursday, 2 April, against making any provocative and divisive statements, reported The Indian Express.

The BJP chief reportedly asked party leaders who were present in the meeting to only support the efforts of the Prime Minister and state governments, no matter which party was in power.

Nadda’s warning comes after Minorities Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi called the action by the Tablighi Jamaat a ‘Talibani crime’. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya had claimed that the last three months have been an ‘Islamic insurrection of sorts’.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Warns Against Spread of ‘Communal Virus’

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray too warned citizens against communalising the COVID-19 crisis. He said that the COVID-19 virus sees no religion.

“Like COVID-19 virus, there is a communal virus too. I am warning those who are spreading wrong messages to the citizens and uploading such videos even for the sake of fun. This COVID-19 virus sees no religion.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, reported ANI 

‘COVID-19 Doesn’t Discriminate Between Communities’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Saturday, 4 April, said it is not fair to blame a particular community for the spread of the coronavirus. We should not show discrimination at this hour, he added.

“We need not stamp any community with blame for spreading the virus. One should understand that this could have happened to anyone or to any community. Coronavirus has no medicine, it does not discriminate between communities, caste or creed. The virus does not discriminate between rich and poor. It does not differentiation between regions, countries or continents.”

YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister 

He emphasised the importance of fighting this ‘invisible enemy’ by setting aside all differences.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu Fight COVID-19 as ‘Brothers’

Dismissing reports stating that Kerala has closed its borders with neighbour Tamil Nadu over concerns of the spread of the coronavirus, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the people of Tamil Nadu were not just neighbours but brothers to the state.

“Some fake news says that Kerala has closed border roads with Tamil Nadu with mud embankments as the number of COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu increased. We haven’t even thought about such a thing. Tamil Nadu people are not just our neighbours. They are our brothers.”

Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Chief Minister 

The Kerala Chief Minister’s gesture was returned by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami who responded saying, “We are very happy that Kerala considers the people of Tamil Nadu as brothers and sisters. We want to assure them that in happiness and in sorrow, Tamil Nadu will be there for Kerala. May this friendship and brotherhood grow forever.’”

Vijayan then took to Twitter to respond again, “The relationship between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is bonded in love, brotherhood, history, language and culture. People who make fake news can't fathom the depth of the relationship between the two States. Together we will overcome the challenges.”

This comes at a time when the Karnataka government blocked roads connecting Kerala’s northernmost Kasaragod district with the nearby Mangaluru city in Karnataka.

Kerala has recorded 295 COVID-19 cases so far and Tamil Nadu has the second highest number of cases in India after Maharashtra at 411.