The web magazine TwoCircles.net has received reports from many places where people, especially from the Muslim community, played a leading role in performing the last rites of Hindus who fell victim to Covid-19. One such case is from the Bijnor district of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Rajiv Chaudhary’s family lives in Kiratpur town of Bijnor district. His younger brother Chiranjeev Chaudhary passed away on April 23 due to Covid. Even though Rajiv Chaudhary runs a hospital, he could not save his brother. Rajiv told TwoCircles.net that his brother was admitted to a hospital in Kiratpur earlier due to an infection in the kidneys. Rajiv alleged that as his brother’s health condition worsened, the hospital put up its hands and suspected him of being infected with Covid-19 but “could not officially confirm it.”“We did whatever we could, but nothing happened. We couldn’t save him. They just handed over the dead body of my brother to us,” he said remorsefully. Rajiv said he was feeling helpless, till his Muslim friend Hassan Ali came to his rescue. “It was just me and Hassan who stood near my brother’s funeral pyre near the Ganges. My aged father and nephew were standing at some distance. Some close relatives stood far from the funeral,” he said.
Rajiv said that all this while when he was experiencing grief it was Hassan who stood close to him. “He (Hassan) was fully involved with the funeral rites of my brother. He stood next to me and assured me that he stands with me in every difficulty that I face,” he said.
Rajiv said that no amount of hate can divide him and his friend Hassan.
“We understand everything. Today when Rajiv Chaudhary was in trouble, Hassan Ali was standing with him. This is what I want to tell the world,” Rajiv said.
Hasan Ali hails from the Kazipada area of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. Talking to TwoCircles.net, Hassan Ali said that, “Rajiv is his friend and during his toughest time, if I could not stand with him, then friendship has no meaning”. Hasan said that while, “death has to come for everyone, but in crisis, we do not have to leave each other.”
In another instance of members of the Muslim community lending a helping hand to Hindus, a woman named Maya Devi from Lucknow died due to Covid. As both her son and daughter-in-law were admitted to the hospital battling Covid-19, there was no one else in the family to perform her last rites. Hearing this, three Muslim youth Zeeshan, Mehdi and Abid Raza not only shouldered her pyre but also performed the last rites according to the religious tradition of Maya Devi.
Nadir Rana of Muzaffarnagar talked to TwoCircles.net about an incident. “A young man named Anubhav Sharma who used to run a dairy shop died here recently. Although his Covid report was negative, only five people of the family were allowed to attend his funeral. Mohammad Yunus also worked with Anubhav in the latter’s shop. He (Yunus) had a lot of affinity with Anubhav. He attended his last rites and did all the necessary tasks,” he said.
“On being asked about it, Yunus would say that Anubhav was like his brother and said although they belonged to two different religions but maintained that the relationship of the heart is bigger than this and he did what his heart told him,” Rana added.
(Extracted from twocircles.net)
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