Hyderabad: Prayers in masjids raise corona concerns

Hyderabad: Not with standing the appeal of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to the Muslim community not to go for mass Friday prayers in masjids but offer prayers at home to avoid any possibility of spread of coronavirus, the masjids in most parts of the city had seen large number of people.

Though some masjids claimed that the head count on Friday was little less than normal, people were seen converging in big numbers.

It was also observed that no preventive measures like supply of sanitisers and masks were in place at these mosques. On one hand, social media is abuzz with all kinds of information about Covid-19 and markets are witnessing panic buying but the religious heads say that large number of people had come for prayers due to lack of awareness.

A fatwa was issued in the evening asking people not to come to mosques for prayers till situation returns to normal.

Though the Chief Minister had appealed on Thursday and also held talks with some religious heads, there has been no official announcement either from the State Minority Welfare department or from the religious clerics on conducting of mass gatherings during the prayers.

The only change that was observed during prayers on Friday was reduction of duration of prayer time.

"It is the responsibility of the local elected leaders and the religious heads to create awareness on the deadly virus and keep people safe from the infection," a social activist said.

Meanwhile, the police department has now decided to hold meetings with religious heads and ensure that such big gatherings do not take place till the corona threat was over.