“Only a Muslim helped me during lockdown”, says Dinesh Kumar

Mumbai: In times where one specific community is being targeted for the negligent actions of a few associated with a certain religious outfit, Banares native Dinesh Kumar Yadav who is a Mumbai resident has bucked this trend. “People say Muslims are ‘anti-national and spread other lies about them but it is a Muslim from Jogeshwari who sheltered me when I had nowhere else to go with the city shut down.”

Just four days before he arrived to Mumbai on March 16 from Banaras Uttar Pradesh, the city was shut due to the lockdown. Like many who arrive in the nation’s financial capital from all over the country, he came from his rural village to Mumbai with a limited amount of money. Although with the shutdown bringing potential job avenues to a halt, he received no help from family members in Benares whom he asked for some financial help.

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“Even people of my own faith in Jogeshwari and the wealthy Shiv Sena stalwarts did not help me out. It was disappointing that I got no help from my on friends and family but my Muslim friend from Jogeshwari who sheltered and fed us.”

He could not even purchase ration Hence, he was appreciative of the fact that about 50 other Muslim boys in the area always bought them tea and biscuits while always asking about their well-being

Yadav asserts, “Considering these communal divisions being created in our society, I would like to let people know that Muslims are equal human beings and have big hearts filled with love and humanity.”

After further expressing gratitude and satisfaction that he was looked after by a Muslim household, he proclaimed, “Jai hai Bharat ka sapoot Musalman ka beta Jai Hind Jai Bharat.”