Srinagar: A Jammu-based social activist has donated his land to a journalist whose house was demolished by authorities in a gesture aimed at reflecting faith towards Hindu-Muslim amity.

Handing over the land papers to the journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing, Kuldeep Sharma, a resident of the Jewel area, was in tears as he vowed to uphold Hindu-Muslim unity in Jammu, a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a hotspot of communal tensions in the Union territory.

“I will build a house for you even if I have to beg for funds,” Sharma told Daing. “The conspiracy of pitting Hindus against Muslims will never succeed. Our brotherhood will always exist. You are a good man. May your children prosper”.

Daing’s house was demolished days after he sought to link a police officer – a deputy superintendent of police posted as Sub Divisional Police Officer Jammu (East) who was transferred on October 26 – with suspected narcotics smugglers arrested in a major cross-border drug trafficking racket busted earlier this month. The J&K administration has denied allegations that the journalist was selectively targeted, arguing that the house was built on state land.

A senior J&K police officer also denied that there was truth in Daing’s reporting on the narcotics bust.

'Shame on the government'

Pointing to a makeshift tarpaulin dwelling set up near the ruins of Daing's house in Jammu’s Channi locality, Sharma continued: “See, his kids are sitting in the open. Shame on the government. Even after being this country’s citizens, people are being made homeless”.

Tania Sharma, the social activist’s daughter, told reporters that she felt a sense of pride in her father’s decision, “I am very sad. How can anyone be turned homeless overnight? He [Daing] is like a brother to me. Not just me, my family and the entire community stands with him.”

She told The Wire that the people of Jammu and Kashmir should stay united despite the “political propaganda” of “pitting Hindus against Muslims”.

“I am proud of my father. He has set a great example that we should strengthen Hindu-Muslim unity," she added.

Embracing Sharma, Daing’s father, Ghulam Qadir, who was also present on the occasion, said that thousands of people had extended support to the family after their house was demolished on November 27.

“I am not worried. The public has stood behind us. They have supported my son. This is valuable to me. What else can I ask for? These gestures show that communal harmony still exists in Jammu and Kashmir. I am really happy,” he said.

Qadir continued: “It is not the age where truth can be spoken. Few people support the truth. Those who are dishonest and corrupt, those who do illegal trade, those who have encroached on dozens of kanals of land, no one asks them any questions”.

He said that the single-storey house had been selectively targeted by the Jammu Development Authority. It was built on a few marlas of land some 40 years ago, Qadir said, adding that he did not possess any other property. The JDA has denied allegations that it selectively targeted the property.

“If my son was corrupt, he would have built a place for us,” Qadir told reporters, crying profusely, “But I always used to advise him that even if he has to sacrifice his life for the larger public good, he should not hesitate. I will consider that my son has laid down his life to uphold the country’s constitution”.

'He was very troubled'

Rashmi Sharma, a Jammu-based journalist who first reported the heartwarming gesture said that the social activist was a viewer and follower of News Sehar India, a digital new platform run by Daing which has nearly half million followers and subscribers on social media.

“Sharma used to follow and watch News Sehar India. He is a good samaritan who has come to the help of many people in need in his neighbourhood. He is a person who would sleep hungry if that means providing meals to the hungry. He was very troubled by the demolition of the home, which is why he took this decision,” she said.

She said that the social activist’s daughter has been offering free tuition classes to the underprivileged children in their neighbourhood for some years.

Speaking with The Wire, Sharma said that he had been disturbed ever since a posse of civil officials accompanied by dozens of police and paramilitary troopers swooped down on Daing’s family residence on Thursday morning.

The family has alleged that the JDA officials did not follow legal procedure before demolishing the house.

“He spoke the truth when few have dared to. He raised important public issues through his reporting. Sadly, there is no space for truth. I could not bear the cries of his children and elderly parents. If I can contribute to the family’s effort to rebuild their house, God will build one for me in my afterlife,” he said.

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