All religious ceremonies including those associated with Ramadan will be suspended in keeping with the restrictions as enforced in the state to curb the spread of coronavirus, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed during this press conference on Tuesday.
Religious institutions will remain closed and all gatherings will be hereon cancelled until conditions improve, Vijayan added. The decision, Vijayan said, was made during a meeting between Kerala government and religious leaders of the state.
This development follows the Centre government's directive to states and union territories to remain cautious and ensure that there are no prayer gatherings during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan which begins on Thursday. A similar directive was also issued earlier this month during the Christian festival of Easter.
Muslims and authorities are trying to maintain the cherished rituals of Islam's holiest month without further spreading the outbreak.
The central government has also asked the state governments and UT administrations to urge Muslim leaders to ask their followers to remain at home.
"Prayers and gatherings at any religious place are prohibited during the lockdown and we hope that everyone will abide by the directive," a senior government official informed.
The state governments have been told to be in touch with Muslim leaders to ensure that there are no gatherings in mosques and people must pray at home, the official said.
According to the revised consolidated guidelines issued by the Home Ministry on April 15, all religious places and places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited during the lockdown, which will continue till May 3.
Even though several Muslim organisations and clerics have appealed to people to pray at home during Ramadan, authorities are apprehensive in view of detection of a large number of people at Tablighi Jamaat headquarters at Nizamuddin in Delhi despite the lockdown and social distancing orders.
The Nizamuddin Markaz also hosted a large religious congregation last month and authorities said 30 per cent of India's total COVID-19 cases were linked to it as many of those who attended the meeting or those who had come in contact with the attendees tested positive for the infection.
During the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe dawn-to-dusk fast and hold community prayers. There are also iftar feasts where people gather for a community meal in the evening.
(With inputs from PTI)
