Kashmir Businessman Offers Land To Army Veteran Following His Generosity Towards Evicted Journalist

By Mohd Ashraf Ganie

Jammu: Kuldeep Sharma, an Indian Army veteran whose gesture of offering land to displaced Muslim journalist Arfaz Ahmed Daing stirred waves of goodwill across Jammu and Kashmir, confirmed on Saturday that a Kashmiri businessman has now come forward with an even larger offer to him in return.

Sharma told ETV Bharat that the 46-year-old businessman, who requested anonymity, has offered him a prized piece of land valued at around Rs one crore. The move, he said, was meant to honour his act of generosity after the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) demolished Daing’s house on Thursday, rendering the family homeless.

“He (the businessman) claimed that he was moved by my gesture. At a time when people are fighting in the name of caste, creed, colour, and religion, this has proved that humanity is alive,” Sharma said.

Sharma said the businessman had been overwhelmed by the response to his decision to give land to Daing, whose elderly parents and young children were seen pleading with authorities in widely shared videos during the demolition. The images, he said, left him shaken.

“I told him I am a poor person and was only moved by those viral images. His parents begged the officials, and the children watched helplessly. No one should see that,” he said.

Sharma said he received dozens of calls from residents and leading politicians across Jammu and Kashmir after his gesture became public. “This is our brotherhood. People from all communities have reached out,” he said.

According to him, the businessman called him early today to make the offer, telling him he wanted to give “double” of what Sharma had given Daing. The businessman is expected to visit Sharma’s home in the coming days to formalise the offer.

Sharma, however, said his focus remains on helping Daing rebuild his life. “I told him I can do anything to help my brother rebuild his home,” he said. “Religion does not matter. Humanity does.”

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