The entire Muslim community cannot be held responsible for one group's "crime", Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday while reacting to instances of Muslims being blamed for the spurt in COVID-19 cases after Tablighi Jamaat congregation here, and asserted that most of the minority community members have condemned the group's action.

The chief ministers of Congress-ruled states on Thursday hit out at the central government for not providing financial assistance to them, asking how will the country win the battle against COVID-19 in this time of crisis.

An ordinance that makes acts of violence against healthcare personnel or damage to property during an epidemic a cognizable and non-bailable offence has come into effect.

The finance ministry on Thursday decided to put on hold increment in dearness allowance (DA) for 50 lakh central government employees and 61 lakh pensioners till July 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused the BJP of spreading the virus of communal prejudice and hatred in the country and asserted that "grave damage" is being done to social harmony.

Two motorcycle-borne persons allegedly attacked journalist Arnab Goswami's car in Mumbai and tried to break its glass window when he and his wife were on their way home in the early hours of Thursday, police said.

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 681 and the number of cases to 21,393 in the country on Thursday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Equity benchmark Sensex opened over 250 points higher on Thursday tracking gains in banking, energy and IT stocks amid positive cues from global markets.