Hindu Neighbour Offers Land After Muslim Journalist’s Home Demolished — A Sign of Communal Solidarity Amid Controversy
Hindu Neighbour Offers Land After Muslim Journalist’s Home Demolished — A Sign of Communal Solidarity Amid Controversy
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A Hindu resident of Jammu has offered a plot of land to a Muslim journalist whose family home was demolished in a recent anti‑encroachment operation — a gesture that has sparked widespread attention and raised questions about the demolition’s fairness and its impact on communal relations, The New Indian Express reported.
On Thursday, the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) razed the 3‑marla house of journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing, alleging that it stood on government land. Daing, who runs the digital news portal Nees Seher India and has reported on alleged law enforcement involvement in a cross-border drug trafficking case, described the demolition as “selective targeting.” He claimed the family did not receive any formal notice before the bulldozers arrived.
The demolition left Daing’s elderly parents, wife, and three children homeless — a situation that provoked civil‑society and political backlash. Former regional political leaders, local activists, and media rights organizations criticized the move, calling for transparency and due process.
In a striking act of solidarity, local Hindu resident Kuldeep Sharma stepped forward the next day and gifted Daing a 5‑marla plot of land, offering to help rebuild the destroyed home. He said the gesture was rooted in shared humanity and vowed that if the new plot were ever demolished, he would provide even more land. The handover of land documents — accompanied by his daughter — was recorded on video and shared widely on social media.
Observers view the donation as a rare and meaningful example of interfaith unity amidst rising tensions in the region. For many, it sends a powerful message that ordinary citizens can stand together across religious lines even when government actions generate fear and uncertainty.
