In a rare gesture aimed at strengthening communal harmony, Darshan Singh, a middle-class Sikh farmer from Machike village in Moga district, has donated his 16 marla plot for the construction of a mosque and a community centre for Muslim families living in the village.
A historical gurdwara is also situated in the village, which was visited by Guru Hargobind, the 6th Sikh guru.
15 Muslim families, mostly poor, had been living in the village for decades. Though there is a mosque on the Moga-Barnala national highway, due to a widening project, it is likely to be demolished by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). One of its boundary walls has already been razed.
“Muslim families tried get a piece of land from the village panchayat, but were denied,” said Roop Mohammad and Sardar Ali, residents. Since all Muslim families were poor, they could not afford to purchase the land, they said.
A few weeks back, Darshan Singh, who is also the vice-chairman of the Panchayat Samiti, decided to donate his 16 marlas for the construction of a mosque and a community centre. The estimated cost of the land is Rs 8 lakh.
Sardar Ali said the mosque that had come under the road widening project was built by members of the Muslim community on the panchayat land about four decades ago. During the award of compensation, the revenue authorities handed over the compensation amount to the panchayat, while the cost of the ‘malba’ was given to Muslims families.