Despite the strict norms and rejection of pleas by the SC, the Muharram procession was still carried out by a massive number of devotees in attendance in Hyderabad on Sunday, August 30th. Police officers who witnessed the crowd lodged complaints in police stations of Charminar, Rein Bazar, Chaderghat, Mirchowk, and Dabeerpura, areas that the procession passed by.
The top court had denied permissions on pleas filed even as recently as last week on continuing the annual tradition of the Muharram procession where people of a community carry ‘Alam’ or “Tazia” from one area of the Hyderabad to the other and violate the norms. However, opposed to an elephant, the ‘Bibi ka Alam’ was taken in a DCM van.
A lot of people marched alongside the Alam like every year. Officials noted some attending without masks with almost nil maintenance of social distancing. Following this, the cops filed a case, under the Disaster Management Act 1950, The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 plus the mandatory guidelines issued by the state and central government over the organization of processions, against the participants who continued the violation.
The procession started from Dabeerpura, going through Yakutpura Road, Alijah Kotla, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Mandi Mir Alam, Darulshifa. It finally halted at Chaderghat.
A number of young attendees were seen in full spirits for the march, even though they knew of the orders. The Supreme Court had refused to give permission as it believed that if the cases increased, “one community people will be targeted by everyone.”
Speaking on a request filed in the court for a similar procession in Lucknow, Chief Justice SA Bobde had said, “If we allow this procession across the country there will be chaos and one particular community will be targeted for spreading the pandemic COVID-19.”
Earlier, the Tablighi Jamaat participants were held accountable by every news channel for spreading the coronavirus. Many were even imprisoned. However, the Bombay High court later gave them all a clean chit, removing all allegations from their name. The court hadn’t given the allowance this time so that history doesn’t repeat itself and the people of one community don’t be held responsible for it.
Recently, in a bid to welcome Lord Ganesha in their homes for Ganesh Chaturthi, a large number of devotees had gathered around markets in Delhi, buying various things with zero social distancing and many portraying no masks. Picture of a particular market had got viral on social media where many users commented saying, “I can spot at least 10-20 people without masks.”
With India rapidly becoming the new epicenter for the deadly virus, it is important for every citizen to understand their duty as a fellow human and remain indoors for the safety of themselves as well as others.
