The Muslims of Rairangpur sub-division of Mayurbhanj district, NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu’s native place, offered chadar at the local dargah at Bad Dundu village for her victory on Sunday.

The gesture comes at a time when an attempt is being made to divide Hindus and Muslims on religious grounds.

Election to the office of the President will be held on Monday.

The dargah (Mazar) — Amir Shah Baba Rahmatullh Alai — is more than 100-years old and located at Bad Dundu village under the Jamda block near the Odisha-Jharkhand border, about 25km from Droupadi Murmu’s in-law village Pahadpur in Rairangpur sub-division.

“We are proud of Droupadi Didi. We want her to occupy the country’s top position. We offered the chadar for her winning. Let Allah bring good luck for her. Now we will see there will be a phenomenal change in our area. Even if no development takes place, there is no regret,” said Md. Anwarul Haque, 40, who works as a labour supervisor (Gram Sanjojog) in his panchayat.

More than 7,000 people of Muslim community live in the area, Haque said.

“There has never been communal disharmony in our area. All live in peace and there is a brotherhood. Now one of us is going to be the head of the nation, that’s enough for us. It’s the politician who is creating a division among people on the basis of religion and caste, but our Didi is far above these nasty politics,” said a proud Nawasad Ali, 65.

Malana Md. Altab said: “She is cool, a divinely person. She is above all those politicians who are creating division to serve their interests only. She is our sister and above all the nasty politics of creating division and hatred. We prayed for her today. We have a bonding with her and she visited a number of times to attend different programmes in our village — Bad Dundu.”

Md. Anwarul Haque Nawasad Ali, Maltana Md. Altab and others nurture a dream to be the guest of the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan once in their lifetime.

While the Muslims offered chadar, villagers of nearly 14 gram panchayat in Kusumi block of Mayurbhanj turned up to offer prayer at Bana Durga temple at Badampahar about 3km from her in-law’s house, whose major part of the construction expenses were borne by Murmu when she was a minister in the BJD-BJP coalition government in 2000-2004. The people offered puja for her win. A yagna was organised.

“Nearly 500 people from 14 panchayats of the Kusumi block turned up to offer their prayer before the Goddess Bana Durga and pray for her win in the presidential election on Sunday. For us, this is a big occasion. Now the entire Mayurbhanj district is in focus,” said Muna Pratihari.

All those people who came to offer their prayers were fed with temple’s prasad (Khecchedi – a kind of cooked rice) and a mixed curry. Similarly puja was also organised at 200-year old Kichakeswari Temple near Bahalada under Rairangpur sub division and at the Jagannath Temple in Rairangpur town.