Leh: Residents of the Leh district in Ladakh have been holding unique collection drives to support victims of the ongoing conflict in Iran.
As part of one such drive, a single egg was auctioned for Rs 25,000. Local resident Shabir Hussain paid the high amount during the auction, stating that while the market price of an egg is only about Rs 10, the bid was a message of solidarity. The funds are intended to help those suffering, particularly children, amid the ongoing conflict, he noted. The donation drive was organised by local bodies, including Anjuman Imamia Leh and Majlis-e-Ulema Leh, as reported by NDTV.
Hussain spoke to ANI and explained why he paid such a high amount for an everyday item.
“Everyone knows that the price of an egg is Rs 10. I didn’t pay Rs 25 thousand because I said I had it… It sends a message to us that children in Iran are being subjected to so much oppression… So I paid Rs 25 thousand for them… We are ready to give our lives. We are alive for this community. We have to follow whatever our leader tells us. Till now, our leader has not given us any orders,” he said.
Members of the community have mobilised across Ladakh and parts of Jammu and Kashmir to contribute various items for humanitarian relief for those hit by recent military strikes. People have not only contributed money over the past few weeks, they have also handed over gold and silver jewellery, livestock, and traditional copper items.
Several women donated their personal gold jewellery and valuable household items, showing how emotionally connected they felt to the cause. Children also joined in by donating their savings and Eid money.
In Chanderkot, Ramban, members of the Shia community gathered at an Imambara to contribute, with women donating jewellery and children offering whatever they could. In Budgam, locals established donation stalls, collecting money and precious items as a gesture of support, stating it was their way of helping despite being far from the conflict zone.
In a post on X, the Iranian Embassy in India had acknowledged these contributions, expressing gratitude for the “kindness and humanity” shown by the people of India.
The ongoing conflict between the US-Israel coalition and Iran has entered its 38th day, featuring intense airstrikes and a proposed 45-day ceasefire. The Axios report, which quotes four US, Israeli, and regional sources, says that hopes of a partial deal in the next 48 hours – a timeline set by US president Donald Trump – are slim.
