MHA blacklists over 2000 foreign nationals of Tablighi Jamaat

New Delhi:Union Home Ministry has blacklisted over 2000 foreign nationals of Tablighi Jamaat who were in India during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown for violating visa norms.

Now they will not be given entry in India for ten years,  officials said .The MHA's move comes after the detailed report furnished by the State administration on their whereabouts in their respective states.

Union Home Ministry had asked State Police chiefs to take actions against these foreign nationals for violation of Visa rule as all of them had come to India on 'Tourist Visa' and were found engaged in religious activities.

On April 2, the Centre had blacklisted 960 foreigners,who were in India on tourist visas for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities and also cancelled their exiting visas.

In the same order, the Centre had also directed the Director Generals of Police (DGPs) of all concerned states Union Territories (UTs) and Commissioner of Police (CP), Delhi to take necessary legal action against all such violators, on priority basis, under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Disaster Management Act, 2005.

In April, religious congregation at Hazarat Nizamuddin in  Delhi, a  group  of the Tablighi Jamaat emerged as a hotspot of Coronavirus after many people tested positive following which a major area was sealed and an FIR lodged against the congregation head Maulana Saad  for violating government orders. The Jammat participants later spread to different parts of the country. (UNI)