World

Modi meets Geeta in India, announces Rs10 million for Edhi Foundation

Indian premier extends gratitude to Edhi family for looking after the deaf-mute girl; also thanks PM Nawaz Sharif

Web Desk October 26, 2015

Indian PM Narendra Modi meets Geeta in India on October 26, 2015. PHOTO: TWITTER/NARENDRA MODI

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Geeta upon her arrival in New Delhi on Monday and announced Rs10 million for Edhi Foundation, which took care of her during her prolonged stay in Pakistan.

“Welcome back home, Geeta. It is truly wonderful to have you back home. Was truly a delight to spend time with you today… All of India will take care of you,” Modi said while assuring that efforts would be made to ascertain whereabouts of her family.

Welcome Geeta. It is truly wonderful to have you back home. Was truly a delight to spend time with you today. pic.twitter.com/DngJF2Tk31
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015

Describing the Edhi family as the apostle of kindness and compassion, he thanked them for taking good care of Geeta.

I don't think any amount of words are enough to thank the Edhi family for taking care of Geeta. They are apostles of kindness & compassion.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015

Geeta arrives in India to find long-lost family

He also thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his efforts to ensure that Geeta returned home.

Expressed my gratitude to PM Nawaz Sharif for his efforts that ensured Geeta returned home.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015

While complimenting Bilqis Bano Edhi, founder of Edhi Foundation, he said, “I don’t think any amount of words is enough to thank the family for taking care of Geeta with love and affection for so many years.”

“What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured but I am happy to announce a contribution of Rs 10 million to their foundation,” the Indian premier maintained.

What the Edhi family has done is too priceless to be measured but I am happy to announce a contribution of Rs. 1 crore to their foundation.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2015

Geeta fails to recognise family as hers: Indian foreign minister

Meanwhile, after learning that Bilqis was born in Junagadh’s Bantwa area in Gujarat, he invited her to visit the place along with her family.

Indian external Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was also present on the occasion.

The article first appeared on The Indian Express

COMMENTS (29)

Blunt | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: Being a Pakistani, I totally disown his statements (if he's actually a Pakistani) and would like to request him not to sabotage the small but hard-fought steps taken by anyone towards the sanity.

Sane Khan | 8 years ago | Reply one kind gesture deserves a kinder return, if we keep following this rule, the world would be a much better place, with contribution from each and every one of us. Let us all give it a shot!

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Wow | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: You claim to live in Canada. Surely there are newspapers and libraries that you could get real information from, or are you still attending madrasas? It is people like you who keep repeating untruths mindlessly, not realizing how ridiculous it makes you and your tribe look to outsiders. It also explains what causes people to shun you. Stop being a parrot. The novelty is worn off.

globalobserver | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: "why don’t you tell your so called democratic government to stop the genocide of innocent Kashmiris." Very noble sentiments. Why don't you at the same time call on the Pak Establishment to stop the genocide of the Baloch and the Shia/Islamailis of Gilgit-Baltistan?

Shaukat ali | 8 years ago | Reply When rare moments of kindness come along this virulent part of the world, just accept it and say something nice. Unforgettable and honest gesture both from the giving end and the thanking end. Don't politicize it.

Hameed | 8 years ago | Reply Why wouldn't Modi greet her? Even if a dog dies he feels for it. Not so much for a Muslim though.

Nasir Riaz | 8 years ago | Reply Edhi Foundation has survived with donation from Pakistanies a generous nation by all standards. They did not care for Gotta for money but compassion. Modi looks like a midget compared to Edhi.

ghazal | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: There are thousand of pakistani children's who come for treatment , how they were looked after when they ran short on money can only be testified by them or their parents. You might find some reference in old tribune newspaper also. What I want to bring out is there is no dearth of good people in Pakistan or India , lets keep politics out of these gesture at least .

Siraj Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply Very few people know that both Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of Edhi Foundation and Narendra Modi were born in Gujarat India. Both Gujaratis grew up to become great leaders.

Salim Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Very few people know that both Abdul Sattar Edhi, the founder of Edhi Foundation and Narendra Modi were born in Gujarat India. Both Gujaratis grew up to become great leaders.

Skywalker | 8 years ago | Reply Dont confuse Geeta issue with Kashmir. Pandit genocide is not forgotten. Making the fight as Jihad will never be forgotten.

Anjaan | 8 years ago | Reply @ Amir-Toronto, Kashmir is a part of India. The Govt. of India does not kill its own law abiding innocent citizens. Only the law breaker terrorists are killed.

Zahid | 8 years ago | Reply Good gesture, Geeta wish you all the best

Pigeon | 8 years ago | Reply Its a trap

SuperNeo | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: When you can live and earn in Canada or any Western country,why can't EDHI foundation ? that's whole crux Pakistanis life.

Saif | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: genocide is done in Baloochistan by pak ..cant silence them by killing journalists

Iqbal | 8 years ago | Reply Good to know about nice words of Indian PM about Pak PM

Motiwala | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamir - Toronto: You are pathetic. There is a time and place for everything. No need to vent your anger here.

Aamir - Toronto | 8 years ago | Reply @genesis.....How convenient for you to say "Time to put the Kashmir issue in the freezer for sometime".....why don't you tell your so called democratic government to stop the genocide of innocent Kashmiris.

fahim | 8 years ago | Reply More than 10 million would have been spent by edhi foundation on advertisment and shows to promote what they have done with GEETA

G. Din | 8 years ago | Reply That picture of Geeta clasping Modiji is simply priceless. Welcome home, Geeta, you are one lucky girl to have met Edhis and then returned home with their blessings.

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Modi being too nice to be true.

Javed | 8 years ago | Reply Shukriya Nawaz Shariff.

Aamir - Toronto | 8 years ago | Reply I'm sure Edhi foundation will not accept any donation from a person who is responsible for murdering thousands of innocent Muslims in Gujarat. Enough with "A sweet tongue, but a hand ready to stab in the back"

genesis | 8 years ago | Reply @S.R.H. Hashmi: Agree with your sentiments and as poor nations both are spending inordinate amount of their resources and one point agenda of Kashmir.Time to put the Kashmir issue in the freezer for sometime and focus on the betterment of the other millions who need more help and support.Small gestures like this will hopefully one day remove the rancour,suspicion and mistrust in the relationship.

singh | 8 years ago | Reply A kind & praise worthy gesture by pakistan. There is no shortage of such kind hearted people in the world.

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply Abundant praise for persons behind the Edhi Foundation, accompanied with a donation announcement of rupees ten million, should be welcome even if coming from a person like Narendra Modi whose past in relations to Muslims has been terrible and even whose present does not all that good. Despite all this, his gesture towards Edhi set up and the persons behind it deserves to be appreciated because despite the poisoned atmosphere between the two countries, it is a breath of fresh air. While keeping in mind the bitterness between the two neighbours, we would do well to recognize and appreciate the acts of kindness done by the two nations like this taking good care of Geeta by Edhi Foundation and earlier free specialist treatment of a Pakistani boy by Indians. Luckily, there are people of goodwill on both sides of the border but unfortunately, a small fanatic minority in both countries spoils the relations between the two. And it becomes worse when these extremists enjoy tacit backing from the state officials in either country. Pakistan and India are both poor countries and they would do well to spend their scarce resources for the betterment of their people instead of wasting these on conspiracies and preparations to harm each other, especially in the circumstances when they know, or ought to know that neither of them can wipe out or cripple the other, without facing the same fate, since both of them are nuclear armed. And when we do have the choice of either living permanently in a state of animosity, or like decent, helpful neighbours, why opt for the former? Doesn’t make sense to me. If after fighting bitter world wars, Europeans can live together in a state of peace and harmony, and Japan can forgive United States for dropping nuclear bombs on two of its cities, why can’t we get over our past and make a fresh, decent start? Karachi

Appan | 8 years ago | Reply What a nice gesture! Thanks Edhi Foundation, Nawazbhai and Pakistan Government

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