New Delhi

Close to heartwarming reports of Hindus donating land for mosques and graveyards, another story of amity has come from Punjab. This time, a Muslim family has donated a 325-square-yard plot of land worth ₹80 lakh for the construction of a temple in Jhampur village of Punjab’s Mohali district.

The family took note of the Hindus' grievance that there was no space available for a temple.

Mohammed Imran alias Happy Malik, who donated the land, has also decided to bear the expenses of the temple’s construction.

On Thursday, Maulana Mohammed Usman Rehman Ludhianvi, the Shahi Imam of Punjab, attended an event where Imran formally handed over the land documents to Rajaram, a member of the temple committee.

According to the Shahi Imam, there was no land available for a temple in Jhampur as the village’s growing population had occupied most of the space. A plot was needed for the construction of a Sanatan temple. Pandit Rajaram approached Imran with a request for land to build the temple.

“Our brother Imran Khan Happy told me that a piece of land is required to build a temple. I have land. Can I donate this? I told him we can definitely give the land. If we can bring a benefit for our Hindu brothers, there can be no greater happiness than this,” said Maulana Ludhianvi while addressing the gathering.

Rajaram described the occasion as a moment of great happiness for the community, saying their dream was being fulfilled because of Imran and the Shahi Imam.

“I’m thankful to the Imam, bhai Happy Malik (Imran), and others. They have fulfilled our demand. I would also like to thank the residents of Jhampur village who take part and stand by us every time,” Rajaram said.

“I always say that no one is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian among us. We are all brothers. I have been living here for four years, but no one in this village has ever said that they are Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, or Christian. We all say that they are brothers. Therefore, we are standing on one stage today. The blood inside his body is also in our body and your body,” he added.

A temple official said that people may identify as Hindu or Muslim in their homes and by their beliefs, but when they stand together, they are human beings first.

Shahi Imam and Mohammad Imran alias Happy Malik handing over papers of the land donated to temple committee

Mohammad Imran said that since childhood, he had lived with the idea that he should come to the aid of people in trouble. "My goal is to open a hospital so that poor people can get treatment. When I had a mosque built, I thought that people should not get the message that I am a Muslim; that’s why I built a mosque. Then I had a church built, and now we will build a temple. We will construct the temple on the lines of the previously built temples."

Mohammad Imran said that, along with donating the land, he has decided to bear the entire expense of the temple’s construction.

His friend Sanjay Jindal will also cooperate with him in this. A Hanuman Ji temple will be built on three marlas, and a Sanatan Dharma temple on ten marlas of land.

On February 12, in the presence of the Shahi Imam, the land registry papers were handed over to the temple committee. After the Hoon Yagya, the regular construction work was started. Under the project, a Hanumanji temple and a Sanatan Dharma temple will be constructed.

Happy Malik, 37, is a real estate businessman. He lives with his mother, wife and children, while his late brother's children also live with him.

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