The congregation of Tablighi Jamaat was illegal and those preachers who lied about their purpose of the visit have been permanently blacklisted

The exposé of the illegal congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz by the Tablighi Jamaat preachers has confirmed that similar kinds of congregations happened in many parts of the country and all the foreign Islamic preachers violated the basic VISA norms. The Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) Bureau of Immigration has found that around 900 preachers landed India in February and March on a simple Tourist Visa. As per rules, they have to land on a Missionary Visa. In fact, they have to fill in an application that explicitly asks them if they are going to do religious work in India. In the US, this application form has to be filled by everyone applying for a visa. But to avoid monitoring, these Islamic Preachers landed as Tourists. According to highly placed officials, the Government has decided to blacklist all these foreign Islamic preachers in the future.

“If they have applied under Missionary Visa, their Indian contact points will also be under monitoring and Missionary Visa is not easily granted. So all these people (around 900 identified thus far) landed in India by cleverly claiming as tourists,” said a top IB officer.

Mainly these preachers came from South Eastern countries like Indonesia, Malaysia. The IB is scanning the other Tablighi congregations possibly convened in Karimnagar of Telangana, Malappuram and other Northern parts in Kerala, Erode, Nagore, Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, and in the coastal parts of Karnataka. The government has asked to submit the details of such Tablighi preachers who landed in all the international airports in the country during February and March.

In India, basically Tablighi activities involved in teaching and spreading of Islam in rural areas. This orthodox sect of Islam is under the radar of agencies as many involved in creating a fundamentalist mindset in the younger generation. In Hyderabad many involved in the Tablighi congregation have tested positive for COVID-19 and in Delhi, results of more than 20 persons are awaited[1].

According to officials, the authorities are crossing their fingers waiting on the results of those removed from the Nizamuddin Markaz spot. After testing and 14 days quarantine, all these foreign preachers will be deported to their countries and will be permanently blacklisted by the Dept. of Immigration. Agencies say that over 5000 Indian preachers came into contact with these foreign preachers.

References:

[1] Preachers came on tourist visa, face legal action – Mar 21,2020, Times of India