New Delhi: The Opposition on Tuesday sought to rake up the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi not hosting an Iftaar party during the Ramzan month and also for not wishing “Id Mubarak”.
While the Union government clarified that the Prime Minister had actually greeted the people on Id, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan told the Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Choudhary that the Lok Sabha is not a forum to demand an Iftaar party.
Trinamul Congress MP Sudeep Bandyopadhyay first raised the issue by stating that the Prime Minister should be even handed with all religions.
“The Prime Minister visited Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and offered 2400 kg of sandalwood,” Mr Bandyopadhyay began speaking, which trigerred angry reactions from the treasury benches.
When the Speaker asked the Trinamul MP if he was objecting to the PM’s visit to the temple, Mr Bandyopadhyay stated that he appreciated the temple visit. He added, India being a country of communal harmony, the PM should also have greeted the Muslims “Id Mubarak”.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary claimed that Prime Ministers, including Atal Behari Vajpayee, have all hosted Iftaar party. “But this year, the PM did not host the Iftaar party,” claimed Mr Choudhary, amid angry protests by BJP MPs.
