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Iftaar
(or Iftar) refers to the evening meal for
breaking the daily fast during the Islamic holy
month of Ramadan (or Ramazan). Iftar during
Ramadan is often done as a community, with
Muslims gathering together to break their fast.
Iftar meals are often held, to which both Muslim
and non-Muslim community are frequently invited.
These days it is a fashion amongst politicians
cutting across the party line to throw an Iftaar
Party. Unfortunately, the real intention is to
have a great feast of vote. Those who join party
wearing “IMAM’S CAP” are “very seriously”
concerned about Muslims and their welfares!!!
Even those Muslims who get an opportunity to
attend these parties, understand the real
motives of these people/politicians but they are
unable to pull the curtain down… because
individualism has grown supreme. After all, they
are also getting chance to get a snap in a high
voltage media event.
I am from Hajipur, which is being represented by
Shri Ram Vilas Paswan since ages. There are 543
kings in India; Shri Ram Vilas Paswan is one of
them, ruling Hajipur. There are a few villages
of Muslim community surrounded by mostly Hindu
dominated villages (including my village). All
of us speak Bajjika. As per my knowledge, none
of them eat together barring some compelling
friendly moments. For Muslims, even in my
village, we have separate cup-plate to offer
even tea, forget about formal celebration. I
heard from my elders that this has started,
perilously, much before independence. Mind that
I am not only talking about rich and affluent
Hindus, even poorest of the poor follow suit.
This is more or less same across Bihar, even in
the area of King Shahabuddin of Siwan. What Lord
Cornwallis rooted in 1773 is still haunting our
minds and has deeply percolated the minds of
even so called these “sons of soil”.
Look at those pictures in Bihar Times or
PatnaDaily; the shrewd smile at each other and
these smiles reflect the real intention rather
than happy moments of ongoing Ramadan. This
drama should come to a stop. The over enthusiasm
of our politicians and their IFTAAR celebrations
with rich Muslims should be refrained from
pouring out amongst much media glare and hype.
The after-effects of these parties resonate for
a long time to come in the minds of common man
generating further nasty feeling for the double
standard, hard-headed Indian politicians. This
one sided naatak could also be brought to an
end; once leaders belonging to Muslim community
start celebrating HOLI MILAN SAMAROH with full
media glitz.
If they are really concerned about
Hindus-Muslims and their unity, let's celebrate
IFTAAR at grass-root level. I will request Shri
Lalu Pd. Yadav, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, and Shri
Nitish Kumar to host nice Iftar party (Daal,
Bhaat, Chakka, Bajka, Roti, Papad, Dahi and
Anchaar) for “poor” common people (Muslims and
non-Muslims) once in a year in every village on
rotation basis. I’m sure it won’t cost more than
10-15,000 rupees, but I am very sure after
several years, there would be a strong bonding
of common thinking. Thereafter common people
will come forward to host iftaar and then
Id-ul-Fitr would not be a festival of Muslims
but of entire India.
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Comments: |
I absolutely agree with you. If
Iftaar is supposed to promote
Hindu-Muslim unity we also need to
promote inter-caste unity amongst
the Hindu community by having joint
festivals such as Holi Samarohs
where the dvijas can eat side by
side with the non-dvijas. Where I
come from in Gaya district a
non-twice born Hindu cannot eat in
the house of a savarna even at a
community event such as a wedding or
Dipawali dinner. I remember seeing a
Ravidas youth (a servant in the
baraat party) getting flogged
because he sat amongst the Babhan
wedding guests, and ate his meal
along with them without revealing
who he was. He was recognised by
some one from the girl's side and
hence paid the price. Even though
the Ravidas youth was supposed to be
an honoured member of the groom's
party he was publicly flogged
none-the-less with the common
consent and approval from both the
bride and groom's parties. Everyone
said he was lucky. In earlier days
he would have been burnt alive.
Which is why Babu Jagjeevan Ram's
seat after each public dinner (or
functions such as Holi Samarohs) was
always washed whenever he left so
that some one else does not sit on
it in-advertantly. The Bihar
Regimental Center and the Bihar Home
Guards and police all have seperate
tables for the non-dvija's.
It would be good see a Holi Samaroh
where the Nonias, Titoris, Pasis,
Ravidas's could sit side by side
with Kshatrivanshs, and Savarnas and
the food could be prepared and doled
out by a Panditji. In all my years
in Bihar I have yet to see this
happen.
I guess at the Iftar parties it does
not matter. The Paswans, Yadavs,
Nonias, Titoris, Jhas and Mishras
et-all can eat together in glorious
bon homie under the cover of
appeasing the minority. - Reza
Sami - Oct. 14, 2006
Iftaar party is a joke- a party for
rich and powerful devoid of common
people. The money spent on the party
should be spent for the welfare of
the masses. Hindu-Muslim amity and
caste eradication programs should be
promoted daily and not once a year.
- Satya - Oct. 14, 2006 |
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