MyVoice: Views of our readers 9th April 2020

Stop bringing communal angle to corona crisis

I do not feel happy about a BJP member of AP disagreeing with the AP Chief Minister for ordering to use religious places (temples) for quarantine/shelter and he gave a communal colour saying that it will hurt feelings of religious people. It is well quoted in scriptures that those who cannot love the living beings cannot love 'God' whom they cannot see. Of course, for any common good, such religious places can and should be used irrespective of the sector cult in the religion. Let me say that a Christian asked me as to why the BJP (Hindu run) government stopped prayers before the sacred season of Good Friday and Easter as though there was any hidden agenda in the name lockdown with corona scare. I denied any hidden agenda whatsoever as even the highly revenue earning Hindu temples are put in the same yard stick. I feel religion has nothing to do with the government.

Dr T Ramadas, Visakhapatnam, AP

II. It is highly condemnable that the Union Health Ministry Joint Secretary who has been briefing the media regularly, saying that the outbreak would have spread slower but for the congregation of Islamic sect Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi. Even officials of the Health and Home Ministries went to the extent of holding the sect's Markaz (congregation) responsible for the spread of coronavirus in their statements. These type of statements do not help in any manner, rather it will lead to communal disharmony. Besides, a flurry of fake news is being circulated in the context of quarantined Tablighis, and there have also been reports of at least two incidents of how naming and shaming has led to tragic consequences. A Muslim youth reportedly committed suicide in Himachal Pradesh's Una district on April 5, allegedly after facing taunts over coming in contact with two people who had attended the Jamaat Markaz. Though the youth himself tested negative for the infection, he continued to face harassment from the locals. In another incident on Sunday, a youth was shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj district for allegedly criticising the congregation. A brief argument turned into a full-blown altercation. Having Covid-19 is not anybody's fault. Every case is a victim. It is very important that we do not profile the cases on the basis of racial, religious and ethnic lines.

S J Ravi Prakash, Kurnool

Fake news about pandemic leads to panic

In the midst of novel coronavirus outbreak, misleading information is spread faster than virus. With social media platforms playing a crucial role in public discourse today, there are multiple number of posts misleading the information to the user. The nationwide lockdown and social distancing were announced to prevent the risk of and aimed to curb the spread of Covid-19. Staying indoors and spreading the fake news without interpreting the information may misguide and put a trap to the user. It is important to empower the public with right information updated but should not mislead and create unwanted panic.

M Vinesh, Visakhapatnam