Hindus, Muslims vow to turn Eid meet into ‘ongoing relationship’ | Mumbai news
Mumbai: It was an Eid with a difference – as namazis emerged from the masjid in the dense pocket of Chirag Nagar in Ghatkopar after finishing their Eid prayers, five Hindus clad in white caps waited to greet them with red roses. Pleasantly surprised, the congregation invited the Hindus into the mosque.
The initiative for this unusual display of communal harmony came from 64-year-old Sharad Kadam, former Mumbai president of the Rashtriya Sewa Dal, an organisation for youth set up by Congress Socialists soon after Independence. Wardha-based Gandhian Vijay Tambe suggested to Kadam that they wear markers of their Hindu identity. Accordingly, they chose to wear the white caps which are worn by Warkaris as well as Gandhians.
Joining Kadam at Chirag Nagar on Monday were members of the Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti founded by slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar. He also took the help of local Muslim activist Kalubhai.
“All of us belonging to different organisations work together,” said Kadam. “The atmosphere today cannot be countered by any single organisation, specially not by a social group. That is why I had invited members of all opposition parties. Unfortunately, none of them thought it worth their while.”
Kadam, who lives in Bhatwadi in Ghatkopar, is familiar with the localities around the masjid: Parsiwadi and Yasin Mistry Chawal, which had seen fierce rioting in 1992-93.
Moved by the warmth of Kadam and his accomplices, the Muslims vowed to carry the newly formed relationship forward.
“We won’t confine it to Eid, we will make it an ongoing relationship,” they told Kadam.
The senior Sewa Dal activist has participated in Hindu-Muslim harmony meets held inside mosques in Malwani, Malad, organised by another Rashtra Sewa Dal member Nisar Ali. But this was the first time he had celebrated Eid in this manner.
“We need to build trust and friendship with each other,” said Kadam. “Otherwise, we’ll be decimated by those who say ‘Batengey toh katengey’.”
