Sikh family gifts land to Muslims for access to graveyard in Punjab village

BATHINDA: For decades, over a dozen Muslim families from Mehna village in Punjab's Moga district were forced to take a detour through private fields to bury their dead. That is going to change now.The family of Jagdish Singh, a Sikh farmer, and his nephews, Shamsher Singh and Rajwinder Singh, have announced to donate a piece of their land to provide access to the 70-year-old graveyard that has since been lacking a direct path. The decision came after Jagdish Singh noticed mourners struggling to navigate the fields during a funeral for the mother of a retired policeman on Jan 25, calling it an affront on their dignity. "We felt the pain of our Muslim brothers and the need to provide them land, so that they could reach the graveyard without any problem. It was my duty as well to stand by my brothers," Jagdish Singh told TOI. The family has asked the community to take possession of over a 90-foot-long stretch of land, allowing the Muslims to determine the width they need—even though the path effectively divides the farmland into two. Aas Mohammad, the local Maulvi, expressed gratitude, stating the act would be remembered for generations. Village sarpanch Amandeep Singh said that the gesture reflects the true spirit of Punjab, where harmony prevails over discrimination. Villagers said a single farmer managed to solve a problem that successive govts had ignored for decades.