Amid disastrous floods in Maharashtra, a Madrassa opens door to flood-affected people
The districts of Ratnagiri and Raigad in Maharashtra were centres of a severe flood that hit the Konkan region on July 22. The worst-hit was Chiplun in Ratnagiri and Mahad in Raigad…. A jarring example of a 21st-century man-made disaster, the flooding caused massive damage in terms of human life and livelihood. Hundreds of people in affected areas died (at least 209 deaths according to an Al- Jazeera report)….
Amidst scenes of chaos and mayhem, a Madrasa called Darul Ulum Imam Ahmed Raza in Kondivare, Ratnagiri, located 30-35 km from Chiplun and 100-150 km from Mahad, offered its space to flood affected people. Named as Jani Miya Relief Center after the founder of the Madrasa, Ismail Ahmed Jani Miya, the centre offered relief, aid and succor to the affected people….
“At the Madrasa, we believe in serving humanity no matter what religion a person belongs to. Some Hindus in the area were hesitant about whether they will also receive the relief goods or not. We went to their houses to reassure them that we served everyone irrespective of religion,” Qazi said….
