Wear helmets, avoid deaths: Syedna Burhanuddin
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:51 am
Pune: Concerned with the rising number of deaths due to road accidents involving two-wheelers, spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin has issued a diktat making it compulsory for all community members to wear helmets while driving.
The directive that was communicated last week by his son and successor Syedi Muffadal Bhaisaheb Saifuddin cites reasons of personal safety of community members as well as need to follow law of the land regarding mandatory helmet use.
Qureish Raghib, spokesperson for the community, confirmed the news stating that the leader was concerned about people, especially youngsters losing their lives due to head injuries sustained in road accidents, many of which are avoidable by simply using helmets.
"His teachings have always taught us to be law abiding citizens and though there is law regarding helmet use while riding two-wheelers, many people do not follow it. The fatalities involving two-wheeler accidents pained Syedna who has asked all community members to wear helmets for their safety and respect law," said Raghib.
The response to His Holiness's call is immense with community members not just buying helmets but sponsoring it for others and carrying out SMS and e-mail campaigns.
Koregaon Park resident Mohammed Chunawala said buying helmets for his entire family was the first thing he did on receiving an SMS alert about the diktat. "We are blessed to have a spiritual leader who thinks in such great detail about our welfare. And though we all knew about this safety measure, it is surely to be followed even by those who didn't wear helmets earlier simply because it is his wish," he said.
Community members in other cities too have taken well to the diktat. In Mumbai's Marol area, Nooruddin Abbas said he heard of it from a friend in Pune. "Earlier, I wouldn't wear it as I was used to wearing the round cap worn by our community members. But now I wear the helmet over the cap and I feel great pride in doing so as this is sign of respect for our leader's wish," said Abbas.
The decision of the Dawoodi Bohra leader has received praise from different quarters with doctors' community hailing the move.
"It is proven that helmets are life-saving just like seat belts. It is a good move on part of a spiritual leader who commands respect to inspire others into taking a precautionary step and save unnecessary deaths," said Dr Bharati Dhorepatil, president, Indian Medical Association, Pune.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare, said that the move was welcome and that all spiritual leaders must think of emulating Syedna.
"Of the total number of deaths in two-wheeler accidents in India which are 1.30 lakh annually, maximum deaths are in Maharashtra. More people die in road accidents than wars. Pune alone accounted for 400 deaths of bikers in 2011 of which 215 people died as they were not wearing helmets," said Pandhare.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PU ... 54998.html
The directive that was communicated last week by his son and successor Syedi Muffadal Bhaisaheb Saifuddin cites reasons of personal safety of community members as well as need to follow law of the land regarding mandatory helmet use.
Qureish Raghib, spokesperson for the community, confirmed the news stating that the leader was concerned about people, especially youngsters losing their lives due to head injuries sustained in road accidents, many of which are avoidable by simply using helmets.
"His teachings have always taught us to be law abiding citizens and though there is law regarding helmet use while riding two-wheelers, many people do not follow it. The fatalities involving two-wheeler accidents pained Syedna who has asked all community members to wear helmets for their safety and respect law," said Raghib.
The response to His Holiness's call is immense with community members not just buying helmets but sponsoring it for others and carrying out SMS and e-mail campaigns.
Koregaon Park resident Mohammed Chunawala said buying helmets for his entire family was the first thing he did on receiving an SMS alert about the diktat. "We are blessed to have a spiritual leader who thinks in such great detail about our welfare. And though we all knew about this safety measure, it is surely to be followed even by those who didn't wear helmets earlier simply because it is his wish," he said.
Community members in other cities too have taken well to the diktat. In Mumbai's Marol area, Nooruddin Abbas said he heard of it from a friend in Pune. "Earlier, I wouldn't wear it as I was used to wearing the round cap worn by our community members. But now I wear the helmet over the cap and I feel great pride in doing so as this is sign of respect for our leader's wish," said Abbas.
The decision of the Dawoodi Bohra leader has received praise from different quarters with doctors' community hailing the move.
"It is proven that helmets are life-saving just like seat belts. It is a good move on part of a spiritual leader who commands respect to inspire others into taking a precautionary step and save unnecessary deaths," said Dr Bharati Dhorepatil, president, Indian Medical Association, Pune.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Vishwas Pandhare, said that the move was welcome and that all spiritual leaders must think of emulating Syedna.
"Of the total number of deaths in two-wheeler accidents in India which are 1.30 lakh annually, maximum deaths are in Maharashtra. More people die in road accidents than wars. Pune alone accounted for 400 deaths of bikers in 2011 of which 215 people died as they were not wearing helmets," said Pandhare.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/MAH-PU ... 54998.html
