By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net
Hyderabad: Iftar parties sponsored by politicians are not a new thing in this state. Iftar parties was conceived by the political leaders as a show of solidarity with the community, but in recent years with a new generation of Muslims taking a leap and a growing political demands of community, Iftar parties has now become more like a platform to provide reassurance of political schemes for the Muslims.
This year was no different as every major political party in Andhra Pradesh competes with each other in Iftar parties to pledge new assurances and to reaffirm their past political promises for the Muslim community. This Ramzan political Ifatr of the largest regional party of A.P, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) organized in the exhibition ground of Hyderabad was exemplary in a sense that TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu was all out with his fantasy bag full of political promises for the Muslims.
Chief Minister’s iftar party.
Dressed like an Arab sheikh Mr. Naidu in his glittering iftar party promised political reservation for Muslims if voted back to power. He reminded Muslims of his services to the community by building Haj House, promoting Urdu in district level when he was C.M. Mr. Naidu promised to release Muslim memorandum in next three months, which will be the election manifesto of his party for Muslims. He promised to provide large number of tickets from his party to the muslin candidates in the coming general elections.
He reassured A.P Muslims that TDP will provide reservation to them in a manner which cannot be struck down by any court as unconstitutional. Mr. Naidu kept the same tune of assurances and portrays himself as a friend of Muslim community in other Iftar parties organized by his party men.
Congress Chief Minster N. Kiran Kumar Reddy’s iftar party run into controversy this year after some senior congress Muslim leaders opposed the ostentation associated with the Iftar. But Chief Minister went ahead and organized a huge iftar party on August 13th at Nizam college ground which was graced by the presence of Governor and many renowned Muslim scholars.
After the controversy Mr. Reddy tried to play safe and announced in the beginning of his speech in iftar party that he doesn’t want to speak any politics at these occasion as he believes that this Iftar party is an auspicious occasion for him. But this part of work of giving promises and assurances was not left out; this was handled by former electricity minister Mohd Ali Shabbir. Mr. Shabbir went in length and breadth of in his speech to praise congress govt. and the chief minister. He termed both his party and C.M as friends of minorities and went on counting and reminding Muslims services rendered by his party, he ended his speech by assuring Muslims that schemes and plans for the overall development of Muslims will continue.
Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) a growing powerful sub-regional party in A.P made sure that they don’t get left behind in conveying their ideology and assurance to Muslims via Iftar party. On 16th of August TRS Muslim leaders organized iftar party in the old city of Hyderabad. K. Chandrashekar Rao chief of TRS explained to the Muslims why formation of Telangana state is in their interest. He assured Muslim community safety and prosperity in the region. TRS promised Muslims of equal political representation in the party and in the Assembly if Telanagan is going to become a reality.
Iftar party also comes as a joy for local Muslim leaders in political parties to meet their political bosses whom often they find difficult to access otherwise.