For third consecutive year, since he assumed office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday skipped the Iftar party thrown by President Pranab Mukherjee to mark the festivities of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramazan. But his office is gearing up to greet Muslims on Eid in a novel way.
While the government was represented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and junior minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Opposition had all its bigwigs, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechuri, besides other Congress leaders like Mohsina Kidwani and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit. Vice President Hamid Ansari, in the absence of the PM, received the President when he walked into the newly built Auditorium annexe of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The event was also attended by envoys of Muslim countries, besides prominent Muslims from different walks of life.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend President’s Iftar party in 2014 and 2015 either. While he had a reason, as on both the occasions he was away from Delhi, but on Friday, he skipped despite being in Delhi, making a point that he doesn’t believe in symbolism. But, to mark the end of Ramzan, his office has announced an e-greeting design contest to mark Eid-Ul-Fitr. The festival of breaking fast is a significant occasion that is celebrated by Muslims all over the world to mark the completion of Ramzan. This auspicious day is celebrated on the first day the of month of Shawwal by organising a feast for friends and family. MyGov is hosting an e-greetings design contest to mark this day and celebrate the spirit of Eid-Ul-Fitr by creating intriguing designs.
All designs shortlisted by the Standing Committee, after eliminating unsuitable entries, would be published on the PM's portal. Top three designs will be rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,500 and Rs 5,000 respectively.
Political Iftars in Delhi have been a regular feature. Almost all Presidents and PM’s including Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to host parties at his official 7RCR residence, which would be actually a get together of Delhi’s who is who. Earlier, President APJ Abdul Kalam had stopped the annual iftars. His contention was to not to use public funds for a religion-based dinner. But his successor Pratibha Patil revived it in 2007. In Delhi’s power corridors, iftars have been always newsmakers for the political connotations, as to who attends whose iftar and who chooses not to.
It is believed that late HN Bahuguna had begun this practice of grand Iftars when he was chief minister of UP in 1973. He found it an opportunity to interact with the Muslim community and also to make it a festival of harmony. Before him, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had hosted private iftars at the Congress headquarters. Indira Gandhi adopted the practice after returning to power in 1980 to attract the minorities back to the Congress. The ambassadors of Muslim-majority countries were always on the guest list. From Indira to Manmohan Singh, all the Prime Ministers — including Atal Bihari Vajpayee — hosted iftars either at the Primer Minister's official residence or at Hyderabad House. Modi has been the exception.
