Gujarat: Hindus help reopen mosque after 30 yrs in riot hit locality

February 26, 2017

Ahmedabad, Feb 26: The call to prayer from the mosque near Bakri Pol in the communally sensitive Kalupur area is no ordinary azaan. Heard for the first time in 30 years in March 2016, it signifies the voice of compassion and respect drowning out hatred. Kalupur, a patchwork of Hindu and Muslim ghettos, was bloodied by communal riots in 1984. Since the nearly 100-year-old mosque is located in a Hindu locality — near Ramji, Nagdalla Hanuman, and Shesh Narayan temples — Muslims began to avoid it to avert troubles.

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Polarization intensified during the riots that broke out after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1993. By then the Kalupur mosque was overrun with foliage and had begun to crumble.

Paradoxically, after the communal riots of 2002, which had riven Gujarat, residents around the mosque were moved by a collective, voluntary desire to save it. Hindus reached out to their Muslim brethren, cleared the wild foliage, and contributed resources for repairs. The mosque reopened in March 2016. A year later, people in the neighbourhood affirm that the reconstruction effort has cemented bonds between communities. So much so, one set of keys to the mosque has been entrusted to Hindus.

"One set of keys is with Poonam Parekh and Kaushik Rami who sell flowers near the mosque," said Aziz Gandhi, social worker in Dariapur. Rami said he lights incense sticks twice a day near the mosque. "We are happy that the mosque that was closed for over three decades is now filled with devotees," he said. The priest of the Nagdalla Hanuman Temple, Chandrakant Sharma, said: "With Haji Usmangani Mansuri and other trustees of the mosque, we renovated the structure." He said that previously Muslim youths had to go to other mosques to offer namaaz. "Now, they they don't have to venture out of their locality," Sharma said. Hamidullah Shaikh, a Dariapur resident, said: "Our Hindu brothers helped us bring labourers to renovate the mosque." It appears a major breach in society has been lovingly repaired.

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Comments

Ajz
 - 
Monday, 27 Feb 2017

Better to send these coastal senseless goondas to Gujarat Kalupur..

saif
 - 
Monday, 27 Feb 2017

Real ACHE DIN not from BJP but from true Indian Hindus of Gujarat Kalupur...really everyone need to salute those Hindus....Its my India

Skazi
 - 
Monday, 27 Feb 2017

Masha Allah ..... But in coastal districts the senseless goondas are fighting each other .....

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News Network
April 18,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 18: A case has been registered against a man for spreading communal hatred by sharing objectionable and sensitive posts on social media, Commissioner of Police Harsha said here on Saturday.

In Twitter Mr Harsha wrote, ” We have registered a case against a person claiming himself as Vishwa, Mangalore for making Statements promoting enmity and hatred between communities on social media with crime number 46/20 at the south police station under 505 IPC.”

He further warned, “We will not spare anyone trying to disturb communal harmony in the district.”

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News Network
April 17,2020

Madikeri, Apr 17: A person who had returned from Spain in March was subjected to home quarantine on Thursday in Sowarpet in Kodagu district.

The person had arrived at Bengaluru on March 16 and went to Balele. Yesterday, he came to his estate house in Kumburu village in Somwarpet.

Availing the information, Tahsildar Govindaraju, police officials and health department staff visited the spot and gathered the necessary information.

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April 9,2020

Apr 9: A panel of experts in the Karnataka state has suggested that the ongoing lockdown should be continued in districts identified as Covid-19 hotspots, including Bengaluru, to limit the spread of the pandemic.

IT companies and government offices providing essential services should be allowed to function with 50% staff, according to the committee headed by Narayana Health chairman Dr Devi Shetty, which submitted its report to chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday.

It has also asked the government to ease restrictions gradually and take adequate care over the next six months to contain the outbreak. The committee urged the government not to permit AC buses and metro services till April 30 and allow private vehicles only on alternate days (even-odd number-wise) for two weeks after April 15.

The government must close schools and colleges till May 31 and allow only inter-state movement of goods transport. The government could allow non-AC shops to open. It has suggested that the ban on inter-state train and flight services should continue.

Education minister S Suresh Kumar, who is the state Covid-19 spokesperson, said the Cabinet, which is meeting on Thursday, may discuss the recommendations and take a view on de-escalation of the lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers through videoconference on April 11, after which the government will get an idea about the Centre’s thinking, he said.

While some states including Kerala, Maharashtra and Telangana have favoured continuation of the lockdown, Yediyurappa has not taken any stand publicly and has instead been implementing the Centre’s decision.

Six new cases

Karnataka on Wednesday reported six new Covid-19 positive cases, including that of a 65-year-old person in Kalaburagi, who died due to severe acute respiratory infection.

The health authorities have issued a notice to the private hospital -- where the deceased was initially admitted before being taken to a government hospital -- for not reporting the case to the government. The government has locked down the hospital, kept its entire medical team under quarantine, and police have registered a case of criminal negligence against the hospital authorities.

Of the other five positive cases, two had a travel history to Delhi, one had contact with a Dubai returnee and two others had close contacts with infected people.

This takes the total number of positive cases in the state to 181. Five people have died, while 28 have been discharged so far.

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