The historical Jama Masjid in central Delhi, was opened on June 8 after a time period of over two months. But the Masjid authorities are now inclined to close the mosque for some more time looking at the spike in the number of novel COVID-19 cases.
“I have asked the people to share their views to close the mosque in view of the number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities,” Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari said on Wednesday.
He said the suggestions that he got through WhatsApp messages and the social media showed that over 70 per cent people support the closure of the mosque in the present scenario. He also said that the final decision will be taken by Thursday evening.
Bukhari said that he has appealed to the people to offer namaz from their homes.
“I have also asked other smaller mosques to appeal to people to stay at home and offer namaz from there instead of going to mosques for it,” Bukhari said, adding that in big mosques people can follow social distancing norms but in small mosques the same is very tough.
On Tuesday, Delhi saw a spike of 1,366 fresh cases of Covid-19, taking the tally to 31,309, while the death toll mounted to 905, authorities said on Wednesday.
The mosque had opened on June 8 after a gap of over two months with the government allowing further relaxations as part of “Unlock-1”, the first phase of a calibrated exit from the novel coronavirus-induced nationwide lockdown.
As religious places along with several other establishments like shopping malls and offices opened across the country on June 8, Bukhari asked governments to reconsider their decision in view of the rapid spread of the coronavirus.
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