1341 devotees were in Latur Ashram when Tablighis were demonised

Pune: When the Tablighi Jamaat members were being accused of hiding in Nizamuddin Markaz as they could not return to their homes after the meeting held there, due to the sudden announcement of the lockdown, same situation was being faced by over 1341 members of a sect, stranded in their Latur-based ashram in Maharashtra.

These Mahanubhavis or the sect members had gone to their ashram located in Nilanga tehsil in Latur district of Marathwada region on February 26.

But the biased journalists who have shattered the fourth pillar of democracy were in the forefront bashing Tablighis and remained tight-lipped over the Ashram event.

The programme of Mahanubhavis concluded on 29th March but had to stay back due to lockdown coming into force from March 22.

However, the state government on Sunday (April 19) facilitated their journey through a special order.  The Disaster Management, Help and Rehabilitation department on April 17 issued a special order instructing the Latur district administration to make special transport arrangements to shift all the 1341 followers of “Mahanubhav Panth” or sect to Devdatta Ashram in Junnar, a distance of about 385 kms, while adhering to the social distancing norms.

“All the followers were brought in to the Jadhavwadi- based Shree Devdatta Ashram in Junnar tehsil in over 40 buses on Sunday,” said an official from the Pune (Rural) Police.

Such steps with so many precautions are appreciated, but should have been taken for the stranded Tablighi members too. It must be recalled that the Markaz had sought vehicle passes for which they wrote to police and also contacted SDMs [Sub-Divisional Magistrates] so that they could send the remaining people to their respective places. But their request fell on deaf ears.

According to Time of India, currently there are at least five lakh people residing in camps set-up across Maharashtra but no such arrangement has been made for them as done for Ashram people.