New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hosted an Iftar at a local luxury hotel, which was attended by party and opposition leaders. Former presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee, former vice president Hamid Ansari, former PM Manmohan Singh, Congress leaders P Chidambaram, AK Antony.Ashok Gehlot, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sheila Dikshit and Shivraj Patil were among those present at the event.
Among the opposition leaders who attended were – CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, Loktantrik Janata Dal party Sharad Yadav, DMK leader Kanimozhi, Trinamool Congress’ Dinesh Trivedi, Bahujan Samaj Party’s Satish Chandra Mishra, Nationalist Congress Party leader DP Tripathi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Hemant Soren and Janata Dal(Secular) leader Danish Ali.
Some diplomats too were present present on the occassion.
This is the first ever to be hosted by Rahul as Congress chief. The party did not hold Iftar, which marks the customary breaking of the day-long fast in the holy month of Ramzan, during the past two years and its last Iftar was in 2015. The then Congress president Sonia Gandhi had hosted the feast at that time. The party conventionally invites leaders of all faiths to the event as also top diplomats.
Prior to 2016, the Congress used to host Iftar in one way or the other. When the party was in power, the then PM Singh used to organise the event. Sonia hosted Iftar until the party decided to skip the event in 2016 and 2017.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh greets Former President Pratibha Patil, and opposition leaders @SharadYadavMP & @SitaramYechury during the #Iftar organised by Congress President @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/hiaOKKbxqY
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 13, 2018
Distinguished guests share a meal at the #Iftar organised by Congress President @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/AclyX3q0mw
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 13, 2018
Guests share a moment with Congress President @RahulGandhi at the #Iftar organised by him pic.twitter.com/Xg1eZZkaPF
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 13, 2018
Guests share a light hearted moment with Former Presidents Pranab Mukherjee & Pratibha Patil at the #iftar hosted by Congress President @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/lZXsLjW3RP
— Congress (@INCIndia) June 13, 2018
Notably, Mukherjee was in the eye of a storm and the butt of criticism from some Congress leaders for going to the RSS headquarters, greeted those present at the function as he moved among the guests. Rahul welcomed him and other guests. There was even speculation whether Mukherjee would be invited, but the party issued an official statement to set at rest any such reports by saying that the former president has indeed been invited. He left after a while.
Source: Zee News