This 'Pakistan' has no Muslims Farzand Ahmed Lucknow, January 24, 2009 <http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php>
India Today expert view on This 'Pakistan' has no Muslims Strange it may sound but there exists a "Pakistan" within the territory of Bihar. This "Pakistan", a pocket of extreme poverty, doesn't have a single Muslim, no mosque. There is no temple or Church either. There is also no school, road or hospital. And the strangest aspect of this village is that every Hindu loves its name-Pakistan-and want to preserve it as a precious possession. Nestling on the borders of Bangladesh it's located in Srinagar, a block in Muslim-dominated Purnia district in Northeastern Bihar. This tiny village, 30 km from the district headquarters is surrounded by Kishanganj and Araria districts, comprises nearly 25 tribal-Santhal households. According to the local people there lived Muslim families in the village and that was reason it was called 'Pakistan' but as the country was partitioned amid communal turmoil and Muslims gradually migrated to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Residents of this "Pakistan" who are literarily illiterate, however, live in extreme poverty and the government offices are too far for them to get any help. Yet a frequent tension between India and Pakistan does not affect this village. However, some villagers who are considered wise men in the village, say whenever tension between India and Pakistan builds up, they too come under psychological pressure. Srinagar's Block Development Officer Kumar Pankaj said some outsiders might have some objection to this village being called 'Pakistan' but there has never been any proposal to change its name which is also recorded in government documents as "Pakistan". Villagers said that before Muslims of 'Pakistan' migrated to 'East Pakistan' they handed over everything they possessed including their houses and landed properties to the Hindus of the neighbouring areas. They admitted that whenever there was tension 'outsiders' pressured them to demand change in the village name but they never accepted it. Local police also say that the villagers are innocent and peace-loving and so far not a single case of crime or dispute has been reported from this "Pakistan". Thus stands a 'Pakistan' in the remote corner of Bihar, that Hindus love forever. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/thatha_patty?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
