Of Crorepati Muslim Lok Sabha MPs, Two Did Outstanding Humanitarian Work During Lockdown

Clarion India

NEW DELHI — The Coronavirus-enforced lockdown hit the common man so hard, for being sudden and unplanned, that people from across sections, including political class came out extending their helping hand to the people in need.

Several Muslim Members of the Lok Sabha were also seen doing great humanitarian work among thousands of poor people, including the stranded migrant labourers, in their constituencies. However, two of them did outstanding work.

Perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal, who represents Assam’s Dhubri constituency in the Lok Sabha, reached out to several lakh people with volunteers of his NGOs Ajmal CSR, Markazul Ma’arif and Ajmal Foundation providing ration kits to the people. They distributed grains among 2 lakh poor families from across faiths for several weeks.

Chief of state’s key political outfit All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Ajmal also sent help to Assam’s thousands of workers who were stranded in different parts of the country. He also ensured home return of many of them. Ajmal’s AIUDF has 13 MLAs in the state Assembly.

Ajmal, who has assets worth Rs 79 crore by his own admission in the election affidavit of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, is the richest Muslim Lok Sabha MP.

“We have so far distributed more than 75 thousand food packs, each containing ration for 15 days for a 5-member family, and we are preparing for additional one lakh to be distributed amid this lockdown-3 within this blessed month of Ramazan,” third-time MP Ajmal had earlier said.

He has also done big relief and rehabilitation work for flood-affected people in the state.

As many as 27 Muslim candidates had won the Lok Sabha elections last year — 23 of them are crorepatis as per their election affidavits.

Asaduddin Owaisi, fourth-time MP from Hyderabad, is the sixth richest Muslim Lok Sabha Member with assets worth Rs 18 crore. He was also seen carrying out relief work at large scale in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.

Chief of All India Majlis-e Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Owaisi also helped in return of stranded people from other countries.

Last month, he distributed touch-free sanitiser dispensers to Gurudwaras, Churches, Mosques and Temples in Hyderabad and adjoining areas. The dispensers were provided by Majlis Charity Educational & Relief Trust.

On the occasion of Eid, he distributed ration kits and sheer khorma among over 600 families, and earlier, nutrition kits among expecting mothers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced nationwide lockdown on March 24 which was extended several times till the government announced relaxations from June 1.