Union Minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is scheduled to host an Iftar party for Muslim women which mostly includes Triple Talaq victims, reports The Hindu. The Iftar would be hosted on Wednesday.
As per the report, Naqvi had earlier been on record seeking a disassociation between the Ramzan fast and politics, owing to it denoting abstinence and piety. This Iftar party for Triple Takaq victims though seems to have the approval of the BJP including that of its President Amit Shah, who has expressed the need to highlight Modi government’s outreach to Muslim women.
As per a New Indian express report, this announcement by Naqvi was made just a day after the Congress party announced its decision to host its own Iftar party. Going by reports, the Congress’ Iftar would be hosted by Rahul Gandhi, and will be attended by – leaders of various opposition parties, former President Pranab Mukherjee and former vice president Hamid Ansari.
What makes things interesting is the fact that Naqvi’s Iftar would be coinciding with the one being hosted by the Congress.
This decision to host Iftar for Triple Talaq victims comes in the light of President Ram Nath Kovind deciding not to host one in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This as per the president’s press secretary was owing to the decision taken to not observe any religious celebrations in a public building such as Rashtrapati Bhavan on taxpayer’s expense. Such a decision was last seen during the 2002-07 tenure of former president APJ Abdul Kalam.
Even BJP’s close social ally the RSS had refused to host an Iftar party at its Smruti Mandir premises which hosts their founder’s memorial, by stating that it was no place for parties. The RSS’s minority arm – Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) though had earlier hosted one such party in Mumbai.
