Fifth column: Clandestine subversive group which undermines larger group from within.
Fifth columnists: Clandestine group of subversive agents secretly supporting and helping enemies of a country to undermine a nation’s solidarity.
Filth: Disgusting dirt.
The song asks, “Who let the dogs out?” Let’s paraphrase that. Sensitive times. Sensitive, except when the subject is Muslim. Then, sensitivity is sidelined, substituted with malevolent innuendo, malicious insinuation, Machiavellian imagination, manufactured indignation and mass insanity.
Muslim group Tablighi Jamaat at its Nizamuddin HQ (“Markaz”) is accused of deliberately spreading COVID-19 infection.
Is it true?
Watch Prof. Faizan Mustafa’s video and read world news to make time-line, let it answer the question.
11-01-2020— Corona, COVID-19 and Wuhan alarm international news media.
20-01-2020–Other nations including USA confirm cases.
23-01-2020–Wuhan isolated by Chinese authorities.
30-01-2020–WHO declares global health emergency.
21-02-2020–Virus appears in Iran.
23-02-2020–Italy sees surge in cases.
28-02-2020–Infections in EU spike.
03-03-2020–USA approves widespread testing.
03-03-2020–Universal screening of all incoming passengers supposedly starts in India.
08-03-2020–Government advisory was people should avoid travel to China, Japan, Korea, Italy and Iran. Screening of others was allegedly not actually being done.
13-03-2020–Luv Agarwal, Joint Secretary Health Government of India, allegedly declares there is no health emergency, despite 81 cases by then.
13-03-2020–Delhi Government bans seminars and conferences, but specifically excludes religious congregations: therefore as of 13-03-2020, in Delhi, having religious congregations was permissible.
Tablighi Jamaat congregation was lawful.
Question: If “universal screening” of all incoming passengers started from 03-03-2020 in India, how did 250 incoming Jamaat members go unscreened by Government infrastructure?*#
Tablighi Jamaat congregation lasted from 13-03-2020 to 15-03-2020, and was therefore perfectly legal for its entire duration.
14-03-2020–Hindu Mahasabha Aayojan took place allegedly with one Chakrapathi Maharaj allegedly involved with a large number of people.*# They believed use of Gau Mutr and Gobar would prevent or cure the virus infection. Science would disagree.
16-03-2020— In Tirupati Temple, every hour 4000 devotees allegedly allowed entry.*#
16-03-2020–Siddhi Vinayak Temple open, devotee groups allegedly allowed.*#
16-03-2020–Maha Kaleshwar Temple Ujjain, open, devotee groups allegedly allowed.*#
16-03-2020–Government advisory was that passengers from UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait alone were to be compulsorily quarantined for 14 days: this was also to come into effect only from 18-03-2020 and passengers from EU, Turkey and UK were from 18-03-2020 prohibited entry into India
17-03-2020–Shirdi Sai Baba Temple open, devotees allegedly allowed entry.*#
17-03-2020–Passenger from Thailand arrives at Coimbatore airport, with 6 others. He feels sick, is taken to hospital, Corona Virus test is negative. Of his companions, 2 tested positive.
18-03-2020–Vaishno Devi Temple open, devotee groups allegedly allowed.*#
19-03-2020–Social distancing proposed for the first time, PM announces Janata Curfew on 22-03-2020.
20-03-2020–Kashi Vishwanath Temple open, devotee groups allegedly allowed.*#
22-03-2020–PM’s Purely voluntary Janata Curfew.
22-03-2020–After 5 pm when PM’s Janata Curfew ended, people clapped, clanged metal thalis, came out on to the roads singing “Go Carona” violating social distancing.*#
22-03-2020–PM announces sudden 21 day lock-down. Yet, UP CM goes to Ayodhya with several people after defying lockdown. Pooja and other acts allegedly done.*#
23-03-2020–Shivraj Chauhan takes oath as MP CM and celebrations are held, many supporters present.*# Not known if they were screened. Parliament session was not ended, and BJP MP Dushyanth Singh who had allegedly attended singer Konika Kapoor’s gathering attended Parliament. Not known if MPs he met with were screened. Several MPs who met him allegedly included in President’s get-together involving MPs. Not known if they were screened.
24-03-2020–Religious activities not being prohibited, they continued till this date.
24-03-2020–21-day national lock-down announced.
24-03-2020–Lakhs of migrant workers gathered at bus stops etc. A Government had arranged for buses, causing massive gatherings, violative of social distancing.*# Not known if they were screened.
24-03-2020–Tablighi Jamaat people are stranded in its Markaz at Nizamuddin: they had not gathered then, but arrived much earlier when such gathering was not prohibited: religious congregations were specifically exempted. Presence of people in Markaz remained perfectly legal.
24-03-2020–lakhs of migrant workers gathered at bus stops etc. Contrasted with lakhs of migrant workers on the roads, similarly stranded, 1500 people in Tablighi Jamaat’s Markaz at Nizamuddin, which can accommodate 8-10 thousand people, was a very small number. Sudden 21-day lock-down announcement prevented departure. They stayed inside in compliance of public order to “stay wherever you are”, were seen in photos sitting separately, and doctors examined them.
25-03-2020–Tablighi Jamaat officials contact SHO of nearby PS, inform of presence of group including foreign nationals, seek permission for travel, state buses got ready, furnish drivers’ and buses’ details furnish, permission not forthcoming # so buses cannot leave.
25-03-2020–Tablighi Jamaat officials contact police commissioner. Jamaat Maulana asserts staying in Masjid is safer than going out. As in the case of Hindu Mahasabha Aayojan cited earlier, science would disagree. Expression of his view is not an offence. Note, lock-down continues, so there is no option to staying in.
01-04-2020–400 pilgrims reported similarly stranded at Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu.*#
27-03-2020–Cabinet Secretary says from January to March 15 lakh people arrived in India, will be tested: all went to respective destinations, many may have gone back.
“Mainstream” media had nothing to say about items marked * but leapt on Tablighi Jamaat baying for blood. We need hardly be told why. Irresponsible, demonising phrases like Corona Jihad, Corona Bomb were bandied about. The police took no action against items marked #. This also “mainstream” media did not highlight. Anticipated.
Prosecute the Jamaat and its officials, cases will be dismissed based on the facts. The media knows it, and knows well the process is the punishment, and for years a bogus persecution will provide fodder to herd-mentality media degenerating into mob-mentality, the State intent on diverting public attention from its massive failures.
Mainstream donning Medusa’s characteristics, sewer stench is unmistakable. Satyameva Jayathe goes a motto. Suppressio veri, sugggestio falsi goes a maxim. Someone has let the media out, and the baying has begun. Jesus, on the verge of crucifixion, intoned “Father! Forgive them, for they know not what they do!” Not the filth column, which knows bloody well what it is doing.
Aren’t filth columnists India’s fifth columnists? Ask the Army, get your answer.
Koi shaqq?!
Shafeeq R. Mahajir is a well-known lawyer based in Hyderabad