The government on Thursday blacklisted 960 foreigners currently in India for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities in violation of their visa conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Their visas were also cancelled. The Union home ministry also directed police chief s of all States and Union Territories concerned and the Delhi Police to take necessary legal action against all such violators, on priority, under relevant sections of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The government has been spurred into action after hundreds of foreigners took part in a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area last month which turned the locality into a coronavirus hotspot.
The Home Minister’s Office asked Delhi Police and police chiefs of other states, where these foreigners are currently living, to take legal action against them under the Foreigners Act and the Disaster Management Act.
“The Home Ministry has blacklisted 960 foreigners and their Indian visas have also been cancelled for their involvement in Tablighi Jamaat activities while coming on tourist visas,” the home minister’s office tweeted.
The action against the foreign Tablighi Jamaat members was taken after over 2,300 members including 250 foreigners were found to be living at its headquarters in Nizamuddin despite the 21 days lockdown and a prohibitory order in force in the national capital.
Most of these foreigners came to India on tourist visas, which prohibit involvement of any religious activities. The government has also decided not to issue tourist visa to any foreigner who wishes to visit India and take part in Tablighi activities.
{{/usCountry}}Most of these foreigners came to India on tourist visas, which prohibit involvement of any religious activities. The government has also decided not to issue tourist visa to any foreigner who wishes to visit India and take part in Tablighi activities.
{{/usCountry}}The home ministry also said over 1,300 foreign Tablighi Jamaat activists, including those from the US, France and Italy, have been identified in different parts of the country and most of them have quarantined.
More than 300 of the Tablighi Jamaat activistshave tested positive for coronavirus . About 400 cases of coronavirus and about 12 deaths in the country have been linked to the Nizamuddin event so far.
On Tuesday, the home ministry had said had said that about 2,100 foreigners had come to India since January 1 and indulged in Tablighi activities in different parts of the country.