3000 Muslim villagers from Samserganj, Murshidabad donated Rs. 49,000 to rebuild houses of six Hindu families that were gutted in a previous accidental fire.
West Bengal: The spirit of communal harmony was witnessed on Eid in Murshidabad’s Samserganj when 3000 Muslim villagers donated Rs. 49,000 to rebuild houses of Hindu families that were gutted in a previous accidental fire.
The gesture was called for by the local Idgah committee secretary Lutfal Haque who urged the Eid congregation at the local mosque to donate money on Saturday. Over 3000 namaazis came forward to donate. The money raised will help build six houses for the Hindu families who were rendered homeless.
“At last count, nearly Rs 49,000 had been rustled up and distributed among the six families, whose 26 members are now staying inside the compound of a child welfare centre in tents provided by local authorities,” reportedthe Telegraph.
The report further stated that the blaze started on Thursday in the house of Phulkumari Bhaskar from burning firewood while cooking and soon spread to other homes, fed by a gas cylinder that exploded. “Phulkumari was in a grocer's shop across the road and her nine-year-old daughter in the house when the fire started. "I rushed to my house. By then, other villagers were also alerted and I raised the alarm. Thankfully, no one was hurt,” Phulkumari said. Santosh Bhaskar, 43, also left homeless by the fire, said he was "touched" and described the donations as a "boon at a time of distress". Block development officer Joydeep Chakraborty said the aid as "was a very good gesture,” the report added.
First published in Sabrang India.
