Bengaluru: The Ministry of Minority Welfare, Hajj and Waqf has issued guidelines to all mosques and dargah managements as the Muslims’ holy month Ramazan will begin during the Lockdown.

Addressing a joint press conference at the Waqf Board office on Cunningham Road in the city on Thursday, Secretary of State for Minority Welfare, Hajj and Waqf, AB Ibrahim informed about this.

“As mentioned earlier no public shall be allowed to perform five times namaz including Jumma and Taraweeh prayers in the Masajid. No Public address system or laudspeakers shall be used by the staff of the Masjid for offering Namaz including Jammu and Taraweeh. While Azan shall be given at low decibel through Public address system,” he said.

“The Muazzan or Imam of the Masjid can make announcements regarding the end of Sehri and beginning of Iftar as usually made during the month of Ramadan. No arrangements of Dawat-e-Sehri/ Iftar shall be organised. Preparation of Porridge (Ganji / Aash / Juices) in the Masajid premises for distribution in the mohallas will not be allowed,” he instructed.

The Management of Waqf Institutions are directed to follow this Order and all the Orders issued earlier by Chief Executive Officer of Wakf Board regarding COVID-19 scrupulously in the larger interest of public health. Any violations will attract the provisions of Waqf Act 1995.

A total of 698 Tablighi Jamaat activists from across the state participated in a religious event in Nizamuddin, in New Delhi. All have been subjected to tests and 28 of them have been tested positive to COVID-19. All are being treated, ” Ibrahim said.

‘We are not related to Tablighi Jamaat’

The Tablighi Jamaat was divided into two groups in Karnataka 2015. Our central place is Sultan Shah of Shivajinagar. As the government warned against the coronavirus epidemic, everyone in our center has been evacuated. We have nothing to do with the Nizamuddin Center. It is not right for the media to put the entire community in a criminal position just for Nizamuddin incident. It must be understood that there is no religion or caste for infection, informed Dr. Muhammad Yusuf, Waqf Board Chairman.