In a remarkable gesture of communal harmony, a Sikh family in Punjab’s Malerkotla district has donated land to the local Muslim community for constructing a mosque, reports The Indian Express.
Sukhjinder Singh Noni, former sarpanch of Umarpura village, along with his brother Avninder Singh, offered a prime piece of land measuring 5.5 biswas, valued at around ₹7-8 lakh. Speaking to The Indian Express, Sukhjinder Singh explained, “Around 30% of our village population is Muslim, and they lacked a mosque. My family had promised to help, and we are honoured to fulfil this pledge.”
Malerkotla, Punjab’s only Muslim-majority district, has a unique history of communal solidarity. During the Partition in 1947, it was shielded from the widespread violence due to the earlier Nawab of Malerkotla’s protest against the execution of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh in 1704.
The foundation stone for the mosque was laid on January 12 by Punjab’s Shahi Imam, Mohammad Usman Rehman Ludhianvi, in the presence of community members. Local leaders, including Congress politician Smit Singh, lauded the family’s act of generosity, calling it a “message of love and humanity.”
The Sikh community in the village has extended additional support, with villagers like Tejwant Singh and Ravinder Singh Grewal contributing ₹2 lakh and ₹1 lakh, respectively, for the mosque’s construction.
This gesture highlights the enduring spirit of unity and mutual respect in the culturally rich region of Punjab.
