News to Restore one’s Faith That all is not Lost
Kashmiri Muslim rewarded for saving Hindus
New Delhi: Unfortunately when the officially ‘united’ Jammu and Kashmir has been unofficially ‘divided’ into ‘Hindu-Jammu’ and ‘Muslim-Kashmir’, an act of a Kashmiri Muslim has been recognised officially after 11 years. His act can be an eye-opener for the people responsible for the mayhem J & K people have been facing.
The recognition, which coincided with the festival of Eid seems to be a unique Eid gift from Government of India to Ghulam Ahmed Bhat of Kashmir and Abdul Gani Abdullabhai Qureishi of Vadodra. For their valour and courage the duo has been selected for coveted communal harmony ‘Kabir Puraskar 2008.’
The Kabir Puraskar is a national award instituted by the central government in recognition of acts of physical or moral courage displayed by a member of a caste, community or ethnic group in saving the lives and properties of members of another caste, community or ethnic group during caste, community or ethnic violence.
Their courageous & humane acts and the mentality & attitude that drove them to endanger their lives in saving Hindus are the need of the hour particularly for J & K and the country The Bhat’s heroic act dates back to March 1997 when militants attacked village Sangranpora, in Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir, in which seven Pandits were killed.
Bhat reached the spot even before the police and stood guard for whole of the night saving the rest of the family members. On the day following the massacre, Bhatt cremated the deceased persons without caring for his own life. After this also, Bhat’s courage and humanity did not die despite facing militants’ threat for helping Hindus. He defied the threat and helped their family members in completing legal formalities required for getting the compensation.
Son of Mohd. Akbar Bhat, Ghulam Ahmed is a resident of Hokletri Khan-sahib in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. Humane values don’t diminish, so Bhat has great respect for human values and for maintaining communal harmony in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Another recipient of the award, Abdul Gani Abdullabhai Qureishi showed his humanitarian efforts on May 1, 2006, when Vadodara City witnessed widespread communal riots following demolition of a Dargah near Champaner Darwaja. In the ongoing communal violence, two people had lost their life at the same spot. A large violent mob of Muslims had assembled there and two Hindu families in two vehicles passing through that area got caught in the mob fury.
Qureishi without caring for his safety, displaying exemplary physical courage, entered the mob riding on his scooter. Braving the stones pelted by the mob, Qureishi stood there firmly and valiantly rescued both the vehicles with their Hindu occupants from fury of the mob. Again on 26.5.2007, one Kalpesh Madhusudan Pawar of Vadodara had gone to Reshamwala Khancha in Yakutpura. Kalpesh would have been hacked to death that night by a violent armed mob of Muslim youth.
Qureishi came to know about the plight of this hapless Hindu boy. Without caring for his life, again Qureishi barged into the riotous mob. Bearing blows of lathis on his own body, he rescued Kalpesh, informed the local police station immediately and ensured his safe retrieval and passage to the Police Station.
State Times salutes these exemplary personalities and wishes peace and communal harmony may prevail in India and world.
(State Times, Jammu)