Example of Hindu-Muslim unity seen during floods in Assam, many hands raised for help - Ground Report

67 year old Manovara Begum of Assam is sitting sadly in the corner of a hall of Shivsagar Gurdwara Sahib.

Amiya Gogoi sitting next to him is seen consoling him. Abul Qasim and Raju Prasad are living with their families in this Gurudwara.

The flood has destroyed everything for these people, but if something was visible beyond religion and caste under the roof of this Gurudwara, it was respect and love for each other.

Abul Qasim says, "After our house got submerged in the flood waters, I along with my wife and children came to the Gurudwara to take shelter. Neither did I feel any fear nor did any other thought come to my mind. In this difficult time, all of us here are taking care of each other."

Last month, the floods in Assam caused huge destruction in Sivasagar district. Now even though the rains have reduced and flood waters have receded from many areas. But the struggle to resettle has created many challenges for the flood victims.

There are hundreds of families who are no longer able to get proper drinking water.

Raju Prasad, standing next to Abul, says, "Here no one cares who is a Hindu and who is a Muslim. We are living together like brothers in the Gurudwara."

As the BBC team moved towards Nepali Khuti village from Sivasagar city, most of the houses in all the villages we met on the way were filled with debris and mud.

Many people displaced due to floods are still unable to return to their homes. But amidst these difficulties, many examples of humanity are also being seen in the area.

People irrespective of caste and religion are helping each other. The flood victims are not only living together, but Muslims are cleaning the debris in the Hindu places of worship, while Hindu youth are seen cleaning the mosques.

People from many areas are reaching Sivasagar with laborers so that mud and debris can be cleared from their houses.

Most of the laborers being brought to work here are Muslims of Bengali origin, who are colloquially called 'Mian'.

Just four months ago, during the assembly elections held in April, Sivasagar was in the headlines due to communal politics. Just before the elections, several incidents of chasing and beating of 'Mian Muslims' were reported in Sivasagar district.

Some organizations had put up huge hoardings in the city to drive away the Mian people from the district. But the way people saved and helped each other in this flood has set a new example.

Trilochan Singh, chairman of the steering committee of Sivasagar Gurdwara, says, "People from every community are staying in our Gurudwara. We do not discriminate on the basis of caste or religion. The flood has shown that it does not bring devastation on the basis of any religion."

However, as soon as one enters Sivasagar city, one sees hoardings written in Assamese language on which the slogan of driving out "Mian Muslims" from the area and saving Assam is written.

Flood has caused maximum devastation in Nepali Khuti village of Sivasagar district. The first house as soon as you enter this village belongs to Utpal Barua, a government teacher by profession. Barua, who had suffered huge losses in the flood, starts crying remembering the evening of 19th July.

He says, "That day, within five minutes the water had reached waist level. My elderly parents, wife, young son and daughter-in-law were in the house. By the time we left the house, the water had increased rapidly all around. After a few minutes it felt that now none of us would survive."

"But Nazikul Ali, the mason working on my new house, showed wisdom. He jumped into the water from the roof of the new house, collected the bamboos brought for construction and with his help hoisted them one by one onto the roof. It was a very risky task, but Nazikul put himself in danger to save our family."

Utpal Barua says, "Those who talk about Hindu-Muslim differences should understand that in times of crisis only one person comes forward to help another person. I am a Hindu, yet a Muslim saved the life of my family. Nazikul is like God for us."

When Nazikul was asked the same question, he said, "Who says what in the name of Hindu-Muslim does not matter. No person can leave a person to die in front of his eyes. Master ji's family was in trouble, at that time how can anyone think about who is a Hindu and who is a Muslim? The man has to be saved."

Firoza Begum and her family have been living in the Hindu neighbor's house for several days after their house was submerged in the flood.

Firozha Begum says, "When the house was flooded, we had no place left to go. When our neighbor came to know about this, he gave our family a place to stay at his house."

Ganesh Mahato and Dinanath, who saved their lives by climbing on the roof of the mosque on the day of flood, also say something similar.

On July 19, Ganesh Mahato and Dinanath had gone to Sontak market to sell vegetables and groceries. But before evening the flood water came so fast that they could not save any of their belongings.

Ganesh Mahato says, "The water was rising at a high speed and there was no way out. Seeing the danger, the head of the nearby mosque told us to go to the mosque. By the time we reached the three-storey roof of the mosque, the water on the road had reached a height of 8-10 feet. If we had not gone to the mosque, we would not have been alive today."

Imam of the mosque, Riyazur Rahman, says, "It is a duty to save a person's life. Whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim. That's why when people got surrounded by flood water that day, I asked all of them to come to the mosque."

Ever since the flood occurred in Sivasagar district with a population of about 13.5 lakh, people from all over the country have come for help. Be it the organizations of Sikh community or Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind.

The organizations which were against Mian Muslims till a few months ago, are also now seen working on the ground to help each other.

Situ Baruah, central president of the Jatiya Sangiri Sena, said on July 30 after the flood, "The flood does not see Hindus and Muslims. In this time of crisis, many Muslim organizations including Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind have come forward to help us."

He further said, "This is not the time to talk about Hindu-Muslim or Assamese-non-Assamese. In this time of crisis, we all need to move forward, holding hands together, irrespective of religion and caste."