Lawyer donates money from Hindu outfit to Muslim organisation for Covid-19 burial

Anbunithi, a lawyer by profession, was presented with an award and Rs 50,000 as cash prize by a Hindu organisation for his “good work” in helping people during the Covid-19 pandemic. The lawyer did not keep the money for himself but used it to set yet another example for religious harmony.

Anbunithi donated the money to volunteers attached with the Villapuram Rahmat Masjid in Madurai who are involved in conducting the last rites of Covid-19 positive patients who belonged to under-privileged sections of the society. So far, the volunteers who owe allegiance to the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam have buried 62 coronavirus positive patients belonging to various faiths without charging any money from their families.

For 75 days, Anbunithi and a couple of his friends distributed three-square meals to lab technicians, sanitary workers and other labourers attached with the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai. It was based on this noble act, the Andal Bakthargal Pervai decided to bestow an award and present Anbunithi with Rs 50,000.

“I was happy that the organization recognized my work and gave me the cash prize. Since I came to know that volunteers were struggling to source funds for the burial of Covid-19 positive patients, I decided to donate the amount to the masjid. Every faith professes love and I thought my decision would help in maintaining religious harmony,” Anbunithi told DH.

The lawyer, who is also associated with a political party, said he received the consent of Andal Bakthargal Pervai before donating the money to the Muslim outfit.

“The Hindu organization was more than happy when I made known my decision to help a Muslim outfit that is involved in performing the last rites of Covid-19 positive patients. They had no objection,” Anbunithi added.

Khadar Mohideen of the Villupuram Rahmat Masjid said they shell out anywhere between Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 for burying one Covid-19 positive patient due to strict enforcement of rules and the money donated by Anbunithi has come in handy.

Performing last rites of several Covid-19 patients has become difficult as most of their family members were either quarantined at home or were hospitalized.

“In such a scenario, the job was left to people like us. Most of the persons whom we buried belonged to poorer sections of the society and the majority of their family members were either under quarantine or were hospitalized. We never saw the faith of those people whom we buried. There were Muslims, Christians, and Hindus. Some Hindus here follow the custom of burial,” Mohideen told DH.