The CPI on Wednesday appealed to the people of the country not to communalise the spread of coronavirus, referring to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin which has now been identified as a hotspot for the contagion.
Six people who died in Telangana and one in Jammu and Kashmir attended the congregation. In Delhi alone, 24 participants tested positive for the disease.
By Wednesday morning, a total of 2,346 persons were evacuated from the centre, of whom 536 were hospitalised, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said.
"The CPI notes with pain that some interested quarters are trying to target one community for the spread of COVID-19 from the religious congregation that took place at Nizamuddin in the national capital. Coronavirus does not infect people looking at their community and caste," a statement from the party said.
"The party appeals to one and all to desist from any communal divide as it will weaken the united fight against COVID-19. The party also appeals to all its members to ensure the safety of all citizens from such heinous divisive moves and also appealing to everyone to cooperate by volunteering for tests," it added.
It also said that the mass testing of citizens free of cost assumes greater importance as more and more hotspots are getting identified.
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"Blame game and targeted moves at this juncture will have only negative impact and the contagion cannot be contained with such acts. If anybody has to be found fault with, it is the government which delayed in taking proper timely actions," it said.
After the matter came to light, the Centre and state government swung into action to trace people who had attended the congregation, it added.
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