Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awhad
on Saturday said the Tablighi Jamaat event held in Delhi last month was allowed by the Union Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah and not by the Delhi Police.
The congregation held at the Nizamuddin Markaz in the national capital has since emerged as a major hotspot of coronavirus cases.
As per Union Health ministry, 1023 COVID-19 cases with links to Tablighi Jamaat have been reported from 17 states as on Saturday.
Posting a video on social media, the NCP leader, who represents Mumbra-Kalwa assembly constituency in Thane district, also denied allegations of plying appeasement politics.
"I had immediately appealed to people in Mumbra to shut mosques and remain indoors," he said.
He also hailed the state government, in which his party is one of the constituents, for denying permission to a Jamaat event which was supposed to be held in Vasai in neighbouring Palghar district earlier this year.
"How could the event was allowed to be held in Delhi? Who granted the permission? Delhi Police is under Amit Shah and not under (chief minister) Arvind Kejriwal. Amit Shah had given permission for the event. Who is to be blamed then?" he questionned.
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