Responding to an appeal made by the Shahi Imam of Punjab, Maulana Mohammad Usman Rehmani Ludhianvi, nearly 3,000 mosques across North India have come forward to support flood-affected villages in the state.
The Shahi Imam said in the testing times, the Muslim community has distributed around Rs 80 lakh in cash and kind to families who lost their homes and livestock in Amritsar, Ajnala, Fazilka, Pathankot and Jalandhar. Cheques worth Rs 50 lakh were given to residents after verifying their credentials through Aadhaar cards while ration, an ambulance and medical kits worth Rs 30 lakh were given to hundreds of affected villagers, he said.
Around Rs 50 lakh will be distributed among needy families in Ludhiana on September 27.
Expressing solidarity with Punjab, the Shahi Imam further told The Tribune: “Punjab has given us immense love and now it is time to give back. We are not doing any favour, this is out of pure love and affection. From Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand and other states, Muslims are coming forward to help Punjab stand tall again.”
Parminder Singh, a granthi from Dasuya, said: “In the present times when your own relatives refuse to extend help, the Muslim community had provided us a cheque of Rs 2 lakh. “I am thankful to them as we will be able to reconstruct our house which was damaged in the floods,” he said.
Another villager from Dharampura in Dera Baba Nanak Harmeshpal Singh said he was a daily wager and he was given a cheque of Rs 2 lakh to build the house again as it was collapsed due to the floods. “I had lost hope that I would be able to build rooms again but they provided hope and help, which is enough”, said Singh.
Alongside the financial aid, nearly 150-200 volunteers, supported by NGOs, are serving in flood-hit villages round the clock. An ambulance has been donated while medical kits, ration, mosquito repellents, nets and other essentials are being provided to affected families. Cheques have already been handed over to help villagers rebuild their homes. “Our volunteers conducted surveys, verified Aadhaar cards and credentials and then called the needy families to hand over the cheques. More families will be provided help on September 27,” the Shahi Imam said.
He said the initiative had also highlighted the spirit of communal harmony in the state.
Many local donors contributing to the cause are members of the Ahrar Foundation, established in memory of late Shahi Imam Maulana Habib Ur Rehman Saani Ludhianvi about five years ago.