NEW DELHI — A number of Muslims from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, who have successfully fought coronavirus, have expressed their willingness to donate plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Most of these potential plasma donors are attendees of a Tablighi Jamaat gathering in New Delhi last month blamed for the spike in coronavirus cases in India. They say the reason for their decision for plasma donation is to counter the "baseless accusations" against them. Members of the Jamaat, an Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting and encouraging fellow Muslims to practice their religion, have been vilified for deliberately spreading infections in the country by sustained campaigns by mainstream media and members and sympathizers of the ruling party. In the garb of anti-Jamaat rhetoric, the media campaigns have targeted all Muslims in the country, resulting in widespread anti-Muslims feelings in the country. As a result, there have been some incidents of violence and economic boycott of Muslims, especially in northern India. In an interview to Indian Express, a national daily, Mohammad Abbas, a 38-year-old businessman from Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, said: "As soon as I got discharged, I met the district administration officials and the dean of the hospital and told them that they may contact me anytime if they needed me to donate my plasma." "It has only been one day since I was discharged but I've already spoken to others (from the Jamaat) who have recovered and they were all ready to donate," he added. Convalescent Plasma Therapy is an experimental procedure which is being touted by some Indian doctors to be effective in treating COVID-19 patients.
