Syed Ali Mujtaba

Chennai : The season of Ramadan Iftar has begun in Chennai. The DMK Minority Welfare Rights Division put up a gala Iftar party at Ramachandra Convention Center in Thiruvanmiyur, the city on Sunday.

The Iftar event was a DMK show with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin being the star attraction and presiding over the event, attended by most of the DMK Ministers and the luminaries from the Muslim community and also DMK party’s sympathizers.

Speaking on the occasion Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said; “Attempts are being made to divide Tamil Nadu by caste and religion. Some people want to stop the development of the state by dividing us. The people of Tamil Nadu should realize this and stop any kind of divisive politics in the state” he said and added, “only a peaceful state can achieve the heights of development.”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister listed the friendship between his father M. Karunanidhi and the Muslims of Tamil Nadu. It was the DMK patriarch who coined the word “Bhai,” Stalin said, adding “Islam was the favorite subject of Karunanidhi.”

 Addressing the gathering in Tamil with the Islamic salutation ‘A Salam Alaikum,’ MK Stalin said; “When the AIADMK voted in favor of the CAA in the Parliament, we moved a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly opposing the CAA and also did a signature campaign against it,” he said.

1. H. Jawahirullah, MLA and leader of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham (TMMK) an ally of the DMK, commented on the politics of polarization pursued by the BJP government at the Centre.

He said that the party in power in Delhi has taken oath on the Constitution of India but in reality, it’s presiding over the defacement of our Constitution.

Professor Jawahirullah said the “Iftar tradition was even followed by BJP Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who recognized the plural nature of the country and organized Iftar at his residence to send the message that BJP is not an anti-Muslim party.

“Somehow a wrong message is going to the Muslims when the Prime Minister and the President of India have disassociated with the Iftar tradition,” Jawahirullah said.

Extolling Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, the MLA from Papanasam Constituency, said the ‘Rising Sun’ symbol of the DMK will guide the country in the 2024 elections, asking the people to stand by the side of Ambedkar’s constitution, the vision of our forefathers of freedom struggle.

Indian Union Muslim League National President K.M. Khader Mohiuddin insisted on the plural values and secular values to be the guiding path of the development of the country.

“Muslim community is well looked after under the DMK rule and the  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K Stalin is steadfast in his commitment to protect the Muslims of the state, IUML Leader said.

Dr. Mastan Ex MP and State Secretary Minority Wing of the DMK Party, who was the master of the ceremony, gracefully conducted the event and wrapped it up well in time for the breaking of the fast. He introduced him as a saintly figure, Mufti Mohammed Salahuddin Ayyubi, Chief Kazi of Tamil Nadu, who recited the “Dua” for the breaking of the fast.

The highlight of the function was the ‘Magrib Azaan’ rendered by E. Kudus, a DMK functionary from Chennai that pierced the hearts of all the Momins present there.

 Watch the full event at –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KShQO1D6pU

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Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com