When these youths used water and fire to promote communal harmony

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Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net
New Delhi, Oct 23: To strengthen communal harmony and peace in the society which is getting polarized on religious lines, two separate sets of youths, unconnected with each other, came up with two different innovative ideas. On a Sunday when youths in the National Capital enjoy outing, these youths, inspired by two great personalities of human history, were out on the streets with the message of peace and communal harmony – in their own way.

A group of Muslim youths, mostly students, distributed free bottled water at Connaught Place in the heart of Delhi. The “Free Water Distribution Campaign” was organized to commemorate Imam Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in over 25 cities across the country.

“Imam Husain was brutally martyred in 680 AD at Karbala (Iraq)in a battle against the tyrant ruler Yazid. The motto of this campaign named #HusainForJustice is universal. Today we see an environment of hate and anger for each other across the world. The communal hatred is being spread in our country and interaction between the people is shrinking,” said Feroz Rabbani, the campaign coordinator for Delhi, while talking to IndiaTomorrow.net.

“The solution to the problem lies in the teachings of Imam Husain which can help in forming a healthy and peaceful society. His teachings ask us to stand with the oppressed and oppose the oppressors, help the weak and oppose all kinds of injustice anywhere,” said Rabbani.

(Photo – Anwar Ali)
Reasoning the distribution of water, he said: “Since water links people to Karbala emotionally, we are distributing it as Imam Husain, his children and companions were killed while they were thirsty. Mahatma Gandhi had also once said that if India wants to be successful, it should adopt the principles of Imam Husain.”

Along with the filled water bottles, the volunteers were distributing peace pamphlets carrying the message of Imam Husain. Similar event was organized in Mumbai, Bangalore, Lucknow, Aligarh, Azamgarh, Alipur, Ahmadabad, Allahabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Saharanpur, Una and Pune.

Appreciating the water campaign in Delhi, Gulshan Kumar, an insurance professional said, “This is a noble cause to associate the people with message of peace and non-violence. People should communicate and participate more in such initiatives as this is for the betterment of society.”

About three kilometers from the Connaught Place, another set of youths, unconnected with the first one, was doing something different for the same cause of peace and communal harmony.

At the Gandhi Peace Foundation, they were celebrating “Sadbhavana Diwali”. They lit some earthen lamps with hope that the light would remove the darkness of hate and communalism.

The brain behind the initiative, Ravi Nitesh said: “We should take forward the message of light that removes the darkness wherever we live and work.”

Devika Mittal, convener of Mission Bharatiyam, the organizer of the event, said: “Culture connects people. We should see it as an empowerment. We want to live together with peace.”

(Photo – IndiaTomorrow.net)
The “Sadbhavana Diwali” was also celebrated mostly by students.

Farhan, a student from Jamia Millia Islamia said: “It is important to understand the way of peace from the civil society that appeals people the most and it should continue.”

Supporting the initiative, Advocate Raies ul haq Sikander said: “At a time when various groups are trying to divide the society, such gatherings are the need of hour in order to strengthen communal harmony and promote national integration.”

Veteran Gandhian, SN Subbarao,Satyapal, Secretary General of South Asia Fraternity, Advocate Ram Mohan Rai, Secretary of Rajghat Samiti Rajneesh Kumar, heritage artist Vikram Kalra, researcher Shah Alam, coordinator of National Youth Project Sanjay Rai , RTE activist Ambrish Rai, Mirwais Parsa, a student from Afghanistan and peace activist Indra Udayana from India-Indonesia forum also featured the event.

On the occasion, young writer Saiam Hasan recited ghazals and all the participants sang with him.

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