As the common man tries to follow the national lockdown while enduring severe hardships, Islamists seem to be getting special treatment from both politicians and police.
Tamil Nadu is in the top 5 states with highest number of Covid-19 patients – a whopping 84% of the cases in the state are epidemiologically linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin Markaz. It is fair to say that local Muslims who attended the event but didn’t isolate themselves or come forward on their own to get tested, and actually hid foreign proselytizers in their places of worship, are responsible for the crisis. They actually abused and assaulted the healthcare workers who went for inquiry and testing. Foreigners and preachers from other states were found to be hiding in the remote villages of TN only because of vigilant villagers.
The situation has become so dire that the lockdown had to be extended for 19 more days. But some Muslims still aren’t cooperating and ‘secular’ politicians are only aiding them in concealing and spreading the disease to unsuspecting commoners. Former minister and the current MLA of Aruppukottai (Virudhunagar) constituency Sattur Ramachandran of the DMK party is one such politician who went out of the way to appease Muslims.
During a party function to distribute masks and rice to the public as a coronavirus relief measure, the MLA appeared to have ticked off some Muslim party workers for not wearing masks and maintaining social distance. An audio of someone who was present at the function saying, “Sattur Ramachandran said ‘Corona is spreading because of you. So get out of here’. Pass this information to all Jamaats, TMMK (TN Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam), SDPI and Towheed Jamath” soon leaked out.
As the audio clip went viral among the Muslim community, Jamaat heads and Muslims in the DMK party started inquiring with Ramachandran about this. He immediately went on the defensive and tried to smoothen ruffled feathers, as shown by his conversation with Towheed Jamath’s Virudhunagar district secretary, which also got leaked. In that conversation, he uses the word Mama (Some Hindus have the habit of calling Muslim men ‘Mama’ and women ‘Mami’ based on inter-religious marriages in the past) many times to show the closeness and familiarity with the other person.
Ramachandran says-
“It is true that I scolded them (Muslim DMK workers) because they weren’t wearing masks. I said ‘Isn’t there a positive case in your street, won’t it affect your family if you come out like this without masks?’ Your street was to be blocked. They have blocked many streets in Virudhunagar. Only our (Muslim) street hasn’t been blocked. Both police and the revenue officials said our street should be blocked. I said ‘There is only one positive case and you have identified him. Why should the street be blocked then?’ and stopped them.
In all the places Jamaats were raided to check whether unidentified persons were present there. But we didn’t send the search party to your Jamaat. Only in our area am I keeping our people safe from harassment. That is because I know all your votes are mine. If you get infected you’ll be quarantined for 25 days; they will paste the sticker on your door. It will be shameful. Not even your neighbours will talk to you. All three people who were there are our partymen. Only they meet me often. I scolded only those 3. I’m keeping you out of trouble from the police, tehsildar or collector. If not for me they would have made you go crazy; would have blocked your streets.”
He claims he scolds everyone, Hindus, Christians, if they’re not wearing masks. He further says, “how can I lose you? Administration was opposed to opening shops in the New Bus Stand. But I helped you out”. Media reports bear out the fact that Sattur Ramachandran did advise the district administration to open a market in the New Bus Stand. The fact that the district commissioner is one Ayub Khan is to be noted here.
Towards the end of the conversation, the Towheed Jamath district secretary says, “You have to counter this (first audio). Make an audio explaining everything and I’ll forward to everyone. It is important because the situation is that we will vote for you no matter what, after CAA and NRC. We have supported you in this issue. Youngsters won’t think. They’ll wonder if you really talked this way. So make an audio file and send it to me; I’ll share.”
The Towheed Jamath district secretary was not reachable and DMK MLA Ramachandran said that the issue was over and refused to comment further, when approached by Hindu Tamil daily.
DMK IT wing of the district tried to play it down in an FB post saying ‘he (Ramachandran) helped open shops in New Bus Stand so that all communities could benefit. He has told those who are associated with the mosques to practice social distancing and follow other instructions of the government. That is why he asked government officials to not go there and that he will take care of it. He is being misunderstood and rumours are spread intentionally’.
The Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamath (TNTJ) is a dangerous Islamist organisation. TNTJ and its sister wing, the Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath, came under increased intelligence surveillance after a splinter group called National Tawheed Jamaat (NTJ) carried out the Easter suicide bombings in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
TNTJ defied Coronavirus advisory and High Court orders to organise a large anti-CAA protest in Chennai. It has also organised protests against ‘Palestine like genocide in Kashmir.’ More details about TNTJ’s disturbing goals, ideology and actions can be read here.
MLA Sattur Ramachandran while campaigning for assembly by-polls last year made a controversial speech. “More than the Hindus in the DMK alliance, Muslims and Christians have more responsibility in chasing Modi away (from power). We will cheat Hindus by applying the sacred ash. This is the way to chase Modi away, through deception/disguise.”
As 3 persons – a man linked to the Nizamuddin cluster, his mother and wife – have now tested positive in the area, Peria Pallivasal Theru (Big Mosque Street), Small Street, Middle Street and Jumma Masjid Street have been blocked with barricades now.
The market has now been shifted to Muslim North Street. It took two more persons to test positive for the district administration to override the MLA’s abuse of power. 19 cases have tested positive so far in Virudhunagar district. There have been some COVID-19 cases where patients do not show symptoms even after 28 days. Hence, the appeasement policy of secular politicians even during a pandemic might prove costly in terms of lives to the nation and unsuspecting commoners.
References
Did you find this article useful? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism.
HinduPost is now on Telegram. For the best reports & opinion on issues concerning Hindu society, subscribe to HinduPost on Telegram.
