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Muslims In India Aid Victims
WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (IslamOnline) - Indian Muslims have long been labeled as unpatriotic foreigners, traitors, and infiltrators, by rightwing Hindu organizations. Yet Indian Muslims have always risen up on occasions whenever the country was in crisis.
A glaring example of this attitude is the exemplar services offered to Hindus by Muslims in the earthquake-hit region of Gujarat.
More than 100 young Muslims have been camping at the V. S. Hospital in Ahmedabad since January 26th donating their blood to the mainly Hindu victims. They have so far saved the lives of over 100 Hindus.
Aslam Rangira Bagchi, a Muslim donor from Jamalpur, said, "Of the 100 Muslim youths camping here since January 26th, at least 35 have donated blood a number of times so as to avoid shortage of blood at the V S Hospital, which continues to witness an unending stream of quake victims, who are mostly Hindus."
On being asked how the Hindu victims reacted when they first saw them, he told the Press Trust of India, "Undoubtedly they seem to get reassured on seeing us. I have somehow managed to have some winks, my friends even didn't have that luxury. Some of them have not slept for 24 hours."
Leelatwai Daniel, assistant matron at the V. S. Hospital, said the "quake has bridged the gaps between hearts. Of the 153 quake victims admitted to hospital, many had suffered serious injuries in heads and other parts, and required surgeries. If the Muslims had not volunteered to donate blood, the situation would have been critical."
This counters Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and other right-wing organization claims that consistently target Muslims as a suspect population.
A large contingent of volunteers from Gujarat had actively participated in the destruction of the Babri Masjid, and the subsequent killings of hundreds of Muslims.
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