Jharkhand Muslims extend aid to Punjab's brethren

"Whenever there is a disaster anywhere, our Punjabi brethren extend help from every corner of the world. We deem it our responsibility to help them when they are in need," says Aziz Alam Khan dressed in all browns, a list in hand (of people needing aid, whose homes collapsed) on the banks of the Beas at Sultanpur Lodhi.

A group of Muslim academics, professors, headmasters and bizmen took a two-day train all the way from Jharkhand to Punjab to extend flood relief to the affected villagers of Sultanpur Lodhi. The delegation under banner of the Central Relief and Welfare Trust, Jamshedpur, includes members of the teaching and business communities.

A poster of the trust that they bore, read in Urdu - "Punjab Ke Sailaab se mutasir pareshaan haal logon ki khidmat ke liye hum hazir hain. Dukh ki is ghari mein hum sab apke sath khare hain" (We are here for the service of those affected by floods in Punjab. In your moment of sorrow, we stand by you). The men said after watching the plight of their Punjab brethren on TV, they couldn't stop themselves from coming.

Facilitated by members of the Mohali Industries Association, a joint delegation from both bodies braved the searing heat to visit Baupur and Rampur Gaura bundhs, the gurdwara and nearby homes — reaching out to victims.

Jamsehdpur delegation members have extended monetary aid of Rs 10 lakh to nine families who lost homes in the floods.

Shammi Ahmed Khan, general secretary, Central Relief Welfare Trust, Jamshedpur, said, "The reports of state floods pained us. Punjab brothers help whenever there is a problem anywhere. It's our duty at this time to help the "sailabzada log" (flood-affected people) of Punjab. We have been to Assam, Kashmir, Bihar earlier but its the first visit to Punjab."

Other members of the delegation included Aziz Aslam, Khaild Iqbal Rafiz Rehman, most of them academics.

On the urdu poster declaring poignant promise of support, Mohali's AR Chaudhary said, "Urdu is our madri zuban (mother tongue). Punjab has a very old relationship with the Urdu language. It ties us together. Our purpose is to stand with each other as brothers and tell our friends they aren't alone."

Dilpreet Singh Boparai, Mohali Industries Association (MIA), along with Jagjit Singh, Iqbal Singh, Harjit Singh, said, "We were overwhelmed by our brothers' love for Punjab and thought it our duty to bring them here. They insisted on getting to the very homes where help would be extended."