The Rashtriya Muslim Manch, which is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on Tuesday said the Hindutva organisation was well within its rights to refuse to host an Iftar party at its headquarters in Nagpur, The Indian Express reported. The Rashtriya Muslim Manch was responding to discontent in its Maharashtra unit over the RSS’ refusal to hold such a party after a request by one of its office bearers.
“Islam does not ask someone else to host the party for Muslims,” said the Manch’s President Mohammad Afzal. “The request by the Maharashtra unit leader at Nagpur to the RSS is fundamentally flawed on this count and he has been told about it.”
Afzal pointed out that Muslims follow a different diet during Ramzan, News 18 reported. “We eat meat and eggs, this cultural aspect should have also been kept in mind,” he said. “There is no such cultural link. Also it makes no sense, even Muslims would not open their doors for someone’s religious gathering.”
The controversy erupted last week when the convener of the Manch’s Maharashtra unit, Mohammad Faruq Sheikh, made the request to Rajesh Loya, the RSS’ Nagpur city unit chief. The RSS leader, however, turned it down.
“I thought RSS hosting Iftar would send a message of brotherhood at a time the world is talking about growing intolerance in India,” Sheikh said. “What is wrong in that? Last year, we had hosted an Iftar party in front of Mominpura’s Jama Masjid, in which some RSS and BJP leaders had come.”
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