Mahoba: Sidelining the controversy surrounding the International Yoga Day, a group of Hindus in the Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh has observed Roza with their Muslim neighbours during the Ramzan fasting.
“As per the pre-decided programme around 70 people, including 21 Hindus, observed Roza and sat on Udal Chowk on the first day of Ramzan on Friday,” said Tara Patkar, Coordinator of Bundeli Samaj. Patkar said that around 50 Muslims people, including the president of Bundeli Samaj Haji Pavesh Mohammad, participated in the noble event and added that politicians were also invited.
“Though politics is going on over the issue of performing yoga on International Yoga Day, we have invited politicians of all parties to show our unity for a cause,” Patkar said. He added that the move would serve a dual purpose by propping up their demands for setting up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Mahoba and would also contribute to the Hindu-Muslim harmony.
He urged the policy makers to initiate a move to improve the poor health services in the area. “We want policy makers to acknowledge our unity and take a positive decision for setting up of AIIMS in the district as poor health services in this area affect all, irrespective of caste and creed,” Patkar said.
Patkar said that this would be part of their AIIMS-Mahoba campaign under which they wrote over one lakh letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 18 languages. “Under this campaign, Muslim youths and children wrote to the Prime Minister in Sanskrit while Hindus wrote in Urdu, besides in other languages like Sindhi, Punjabi and Malayalam.
Patkar said the district is situated at the heart of Bundelkhand and does not have proper health care facilities. “Patients admitted to primary health centres are referred to Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra and to districts of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Setting up AIIMS will help the entire region spread over seven districts in UP and five of MP,” he said.