HYDERABAD: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has appealed to all Muslims to observe Ramzan and offer prayers at their homes in view of the nationwide lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus. He also urged people not to hold congregational prayers at their homes as well and maintain social distancing.

"I would like to appeal everyone not to offer prayers at mosques as curfew begins from 7 PM and nobody is allowed to leave their homes during this time. I would also appeal everyone to maintain social distancing," Owaisi was quoted saying by a news agency.

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Owaisi, in his address on the eve of Ramzan, appealed to the Muslims to ensure that nobody goes hungry during the holy month saying "Feeding the hungry is the biggest virtue." He urged the Muslim community to spend as much as possible on poor and the destitute through ''zakat'' and charity.

He said that the Islam and holy Quran lay greater emphasis on feeding the poor, orphans and hungry.

On the issue of migrants crisis in the country, the Hyderabad MP alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed lockdown without planning, which caused great distress to the poor and migrant labourer, who suffered due to ''unplanned and reactionary'' lockdown. He added that those migrant workers who have no ration cards or bank accounts were deprived of the Centre's aid.

Quoting a survey, he said 90 per cent migrants did not get government ration while 90 per cent of people were not paid salaries.

The MP called it unfortunate that the current COVID-19 pandemic was used to spread hate against Muslims in the country.

"You can make a drug for virus but not for hatred. This hatred will weaken the country," he said.

Owaisi said the Prime Minister Modi was correct when he said the virus does not see religion but it was his own minister who stated that Tabilighi Jamaat is Talibani.

On the recent Maharashtra's Palghar killings, where three men, including two Hindu seers were killed, he said immediately after the incident BJP spokesman blamed Muslims. However, there was not a single Muslim in the list of 100 accused released by the Maharashtra government, he said.

Owaisi said that if action was taken in cases of lynching of Akhlaq, Pehlu Khan, Aleemuddin Ansari and Tabrez, Palghar would not have happened.