The recent Tablighi Jamaat event in New Delhi has put an entire community in a vulnerable place, making them an easy target all across the country. Several claims are being made, especially on social media, as to how Muslims are resorting to different tactics to spread the novel coronavirus. Old videos and pictures are being shared as proofs of such claims.
One such claim that has been doing the rounds is that around 500 Muslims have been deployed in various states with an aim to transmit COVID-19. As bizarre as it sounds, several users are actually circulating this message warning others to be wary of Muslims.
What exactly is the claim?
It is being said that the 500 Muslim men, infected with the fatal virus, are scattered in several villages and cities as beggars, vegetable vendors and junk dealers.
The claim also has it that they have been taught different ways to spread the China-originated virus and are specifically targeting Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians and Jains.
The message further states that if anybody comes across any such Muslim worker, they should immediately inform the police.
Here is the picture that is being circulated:
Fact-check
The first step in the verification of any such claim is the identification of the source. It is very easy, more so at a crucial time like this, to spread false news and actually make people believe it.
In this case, there is no credible source behind the message that has been shared on popular social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.
Besides, the message does not carry much of logic because if anybody has tested positive for COVID-19, it is very unlikely that the health department of the country will let them go out of its sight, let alone allow them to work and roam on the streets.
Therefore, we at International Business Times, not only declare the claim as fake but also strongly condemn the act of spreading fake news to defame a particular community. At a time when the entire nation should unite to fight the one common enemy - the novel coronavirus, which could wipe out a large chunk of humankind, it is extremely insensitive to spread false propaganda such as this.
