It’s the time for iftar parties and along with that comes controversy.
Iftar parties during the month of Ramzan have always been a fixture in India’s political calendars; guest lists are thought of with much consideration and then scrutinised for the signals they send out.
The norm of an iftar party can be traced back to the times of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru; he was one of the first to host these get-togethers. It has been reported that rather than the political act of today, his was more of a personal outreach to friends. He would call his friends to the All India Congress Committee headquarters, then situated at 7 Jantar Mantar Road in New Delhi, and then they would break the fast.
It can be said that the political spice to the iftar party was added by former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, in the 1970s. He would host the meal and invite members from the community with political influence.
However, as these meets gather political influence, they also tend to become controversial — either for the persons being invited or for those being left off the guest list.
Just two days back, Nitish Kumar’s attendance at the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s meet caused speculation and raised eyebrows, prompting the Bihar chief minister to issue a clarification.
We take a look at just some of the controversies that an iftar party has caused in the recent times.
Nitish at RJD’s iftar party
Last Saturday, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar attended an iftar party at Rabri Devi's Patna home.
On his presence at their house, Lalu’s son Tej Pratap Yadav was quoted as saying to news agency ANI, “This is politics and chaos is usual... Today he is in power, tomorrow there could be a change. Earlier, I had put a ‘no entry’ board. But now it has been replaced with ‘Entry - Nitish Chacha ji.’ Now he has come.”
#WATCH Patna: Earlier I had put up 'No Entry' board (for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar), & now I have put up Entry 'Nitish Chacha Ji' board, so he came... Since he came, govt will be formed...will form govt, it's a secret. I had a word with Nitish Ji secretly: Tej Pratap Yadav,RJD (22.4) pic.twitter.com/XDKSAkyMwA
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2022
This was the first visit by the 71-year-old Janata Dal (United) leader in five years to the first family of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, once an ally.
His presence at his friend-turned-foe’s house made many question if he was changing his political alignments, once again. When asked about it, he refuted the claims and said that the iftar party had no political connotation to it at all.
“Many people are invited to such Iftar parties. What connection does it have with politics? We also hold an iftar party and invite everyone to it,” the chief minister was quoted telling ANI, rubbishing the speculation over a message being sent to coalition partner BJP with the visit.
@NitishKumar ने आज @yadavtejashwi के आयोजित इफ़्तार में भाग लेने के बाद सफ़ाई कुछ इस तर्क से दी @ndtvindia @Anurag_Dwary pic.twitter.com/ErmbULJA4I
— manish (@manishndtv) April 23, 2022
When asked about Nitish Kumar's presence, Tejaswi Yadav said that this is a tradition that everyone participates in the Iftar party.
“We have given invitations to all the people whether it is from BJP, JDU or LJP and it has been a tradition that everyone participates in the Iftar party,” said the RJD leader.
Army’s iftar deleted tweet
A Twitter handle of the Indian Army deleted a tweet it posted earlier this week, showing pictures of an Army-organised Iftaar gathering in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district. The tweet was allegedly pulled down because of trolling by social media users.
On 20 April, the Twitter handle of the public relations officer (PRO) for Jammu, Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand, had posted a series of images of the army’s iftar in Doda district, writing, “Keeping alive the traditions of #secularism, an iftar was organised by the #IndianArmy at Arnora in #Doda district. #Ramadan.”
Reacting to pictures of the Iftaar gathering shared by the Army’s Twitter handle, Sudarshan TV editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke said in a tweet, “Now this illness has entered the Indian Army as well? Sad.”
अब यह बीमारी भारतीय सेना में भी घुस गईं हैं? दुःखद … https://t.co/AiRkdLUUBl
— Suresh Chavhanke “Sudarshan News” (@SureshChavhanke) April 21, 2022
Soon after Chavhanke’s tweet, the PRO deleted the tweet and has not issued any statement on the matter since.
Ashok Gehlot’s iftar party row
The BJP unit in Rajasthan lashed out at Congress over the presence of communal violence accused at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's iftar party.
As per an ANI news report, BJP leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria accused Gehlot of following vote bank politics by “inviting the accused in the violence”.
“Rajasthan chief minister held an iftar party and to strengthen his vote bank, he invited prominent members of the Muslim community. The party was also attended by the key accused of the Chhabra violence whose photos have gone viral. It seems as if Ashok Gehlot has made up his mind to flare up communal tension in the state. Incidents from Karauli to Alwar, which involved the demolition of a temple, prove appeasement of the minority community for vote bank,” Kataria said.
The BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accused Gehlot of “sheltering rioters”.
Sharing the pictures of the Iftar party, Malviya tweeted: “Ashok Gehlot hosted an ‘official’ Iftar party on 23 April. In attendance was Asif Ansari, main accused of Chabbra riots, in which several homes and shops of Hindu’s were burnt down. The man who should have been in jail was enjoying CM’s hospitality! Sheltering rioters is secularism?”
Ashok Gehlot hosted an “official” Iftar party on 23Apr. In attendance was Asif Ansari, main accused of Chabbra riots, in which several homes and shops of Hindu’s were burnt down. The man who should have been in jail was enjoying CM’s hospitality!
Sheltering rioters is secularism? pic.twitter.com/9HyoGHbLSh— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 24, 2022
Other controversies
In the past, iftar parties have often been a source of controversies — nationally and even internationally.
In 2019, Jaganmohan Reddy came under fire after it was revealed that the Andhra Pradesh government spent Rs 1.8 crore on an iftar party.
On the global stage, former United States president Donald Trump had been criticised back in 2017 for not hosting an iftar dinner during Ramzan, breaking a nearly 20-year tradition.
His refusal to host the dinner came at a time when he was being slammed for his ‘Muslim ban’ — wherein he placed stringent restrictions on travel to the United States for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
With inputs from agencies
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