Govt. reaches out to community leaders

Officials drive home the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic

04/04/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

Ominous warning: The signboard at a barricade at Villivakkam delivers the message effectively. K. PICHUMANIK_Pichumani

Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam on Friday chaired meetings with heads and representatives of religious communities in the Secretariat to explain to them the magnitude of COVID-19 and the need to contain it.

Leaders and representatives from various denominations of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Jain communities took part in three separate meetings in which senior government officials and police officers participated. “The meetings were held primarily to seek cooperation from them and to explain the magnitude of the situation ,” an official said.

Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, one of the participants, praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. “Even so many years ago, the authentic sayings of Holy Prophet Muhammad tells us that during epidemics such as plague and others, travel is banned and one should confine himself within the house. I told my Muslim brothers that we should support the government in its efforts,” Mr. Ali said.

Fr. Patrick Paul, secretary to Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore Most Rev. Dr. George Antonysamy, said: “The government explained the seriousness of the pandemic and steps we could take.”

Home Secretary S.K. Prabakar, Revenue Secretary Atulya Misra, Director-General of Police J.K. Tripathy, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh and Chennai Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan were present.

‘Ensure transparency’

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi founder M.H. Jawahirullah on Friday said the State government must be transparent in testing for COVID-19 Muslims who attended the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi. In a statement, he said names of the patients were released in a few districts and urged the government to clamp down on those spreading rumours and hate.