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FAIZABAD: Hindus have donated their land to Muslims for a burial ground in Belarikhan village under Gosaiganj assembly constituency here, the unique show of harmony prodded by none other than local BJP MLA Indrapratap Tiwari. The land had been a bone of contention between the two communities for years until now. Surya Kumar Jhinkan Maharaj, a local seer, signed the registered deed for 1.25 bissas of land along with eight other shareholders on June 20 to bury the dispute forever.

“The land belonged to Hindus as per records. It is beside a qabristan (graveyard) and sometimes, Muslims buried their dead on the land. There were disputes and tension. But now, we have settled the matter,” Jhinkan Maharaj told TOI. “Ram Prakash Bablu, Ram Singar Pandey, Ram Shabad, Jiya Ram, Subash Chandra, Rita Devi, Vindhyachal and Awadhesh Pandey, along with the seer, were signatories who transferred the deed in favour of Qabristan Committee, Gosaiganj, in the office of sub-registrar of sadar tehsil of Faizabad . Ownership will soon be entered in revenue records,” said Vais Ansari, president of the committee. Sub-registrar SB Singh confirmed the transfer of land to Muslims for a graveyard.

“It was a gift from the Hindu community through a proper deed and stamp duty ,” Singh said, adding that MLA Tiwari took initiative to promote Hindu-Muslim amity.

“The tradition of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood here is decades-old. This was a small token of love from Hindus to Muslims. I hope this amity will prevail,” said Tiwari.

Haji Abdul Haq, the chief Imam of Gosaiganj Jama Masjid, couldn’t agree more. “It is an exemplary act of kindness. It shows the world that we can coexist in peace and harmony,” the Imam said.

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