At a time when millions of Muslims suffer persecution and racial discrimination in India, activists and bloggers on social media celebrated a young Muslim man who saved dozens of lives in the accident of the Morbi Bridge in Gujarat (Northern India).
#MorbiBridgeCollapse |
Naim Sheikh, admitted, to Civil Hospital in Morbi says, "6 of us had gone there, 5 came back, one died. I can swim. My friends & I together managed to save a few people. It was heart-rending. I got hurt when I was bringing the people to safety."#Gujarat pic.twitter.com/XehTiSPuwt
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2022
And the communication platforms circulated a video clip of the Muslim young man, Naim Sheikh, from inside a hospital, saying, “I was with 5 friends on the bridge, one of us died, and because I was good at swimming, I cooperated with my friends in saving others, we succeeded in helping between 50 and 60 people, and that broke my heart.” And I was injured when I was taking people to safety.”
मोरबी पुल हादसे का Video आया सामने
◆ गिरने से पहले पुल हिलता हुआ दिला
◆ हादसे में दिक 130 से ज़्यादा लोगों की मौत हो चुकी है@bhupendrajourno #MorbiBridgeCollapse #MorbiBridge pic.twitter.com/b7k6Ab1EII
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) October 31, 2022
And last Sunday, platforms in India circulated videos that documented the moment of the collapse of the suspension bridge over the Machu River, and dozens of survivors clung to the remains of the bridge, as some managed to survive swimming towards the banks of the river, but 141 others - including children - were unable to survive, according to the network. NDTV, India.
#Breaking: गुजरात के मोरबी में केबल पुल टूटा, करीब 400 लोग नदी में गिरे, कई के डूबने की आशका#Gujarat #Morcom0/Jx5x pic.twitter.
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) October 30, 2022
According to the Indian network, the bridge is 151 years old, and it was closed in the past months due to renovations and repairs, and it was only opened on Tuesday 25 October last, and a source confirmed in statements to the same network that there were 500 people on the bridge at the time of the collapse, while the power was The capacity of the bridge is 125 only.
The young man, Naim Sheikh, was praised by the pioneers of social media platforms because of his noble attitude towards the victims of the accident.
They will not think twice before lynching the same Muslims who have saved their lives.
Govt will also file conspiracy case and arrest them as like Dr Kafeel.
Media will make prime time story as 'Bridge Jihad'.
https://t.co/6U1o3xIjey
— Obeidur Rahman (@mdobeid) November 1, 2022
Activist Asmaa Saleem said - via her Twitter account - "This was a heroic act by Naim Sheikh to save between 50 and 60 people by risking his life. May God bless you with endless reward."
Heroic act by #NaeemShaik to save 50-60 people by risking his own life.
May Allah bless you with endless rewards.
https://t.co/EsLB8Tp35Y
— Asma (@asmatasleem13) October 31, 2022
And Indian activist Nadia wrote - on her Twitter account - "Habib Sheikh almost lost his life, and Naim Sheikh, Habib Sheikh and 4 others from all six Muslim men risked their lives to save people, and it will remain the same for Muslims who are always described and treated as if they were criminals."
Habibul shaikh lost his life.
Naem shaikh, Habibul shaikh and 4 others in all 6 muslim men risked their life to save people.
Habibul shaikh lost his life
Still it will b muslims who are always labeled and given treatment like they are criminals #MorbiBridgeCollapse #Gujarat https://t.co/n5JrJ4CYiX
— Nadya (@JUS_FANofRG) October 31, 2022
Discrimination against Muslims
On December 11, 2019, the Indian Parliament passed a controversial bill granting citizenship to persecuted minorities such as Hindus, Buddhists and other minorities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan who entered the country until December 31, 2014, and excluded Muslims.
At that time, the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Parliament) approved the bill submitted by Home Minister Amit Shah, with 125 votes in favour, 105 against.
The approval of the Sabha Council came one day after the "Lok Sabha" (lower chamber) approved the bill, which seeks to amend the country's 1955 citizenship law, with 311 votes in favor and 80 against.
The adoption of the bill took place amid loud controversy, and the opposition parties rejected the law, which they considered to be discrimination against Muslims and in violation of India's secular constitution, and to reshape the demographic map of India to be a purely Hindu nation.
The law sparked demonstrations, protests and strikes organized by Muslims and other minorities in the northeastern states of India, and clashes took place, killing, arresting and wounding hundreds.
It is noteworthy that the number of Muslims in India is more than 200 million out of the country's population of about one billion people.
Since the party of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power on May 26, 2014, it has been carrying out a series of measures and adopting policies against Muslims;
It started by abolishing the status of Indian Kashmir and restricting Muslims.
Then the ruling party proceeded to amend the Nationality Law and require Muslims to provide documents proving that their ancestors were in India before 1971. The party then passed the law granting Indian citizenship to immigrants, provided that they were not Muslims.