Congress member rakes up issue of Modi not hosting Iftaar

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said there has been a practice since Independence of Prime Ministers hosting Iftaars in the holy month of Ramzan

A Congress member in the Lok Sabha today raked up the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi not hosting Iftaar this Ramzan while noting that he had offered prayers in Nepal's famed Pashupatinath Temple.

The member, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said while no one has any objection to the Prime Minister going from "Pashupatinath to Tirupati", there has been a practice since Independence of Prime Ministers hosting Iftaars in the holy month of Ramzan.

"Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee continued with this tradition, but what has happened now," Chowdhury, a former Union Minister, said in an apparent reference to Modi not hosting an Iftaar reception this Ramzan.

His remarks were met with strong opposition from BJP members, prompting Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to observe that it would not go on record.

"Such personal matters will not go on record. I am sorry .... This is not the way. If you want a party, go to him," she told Chowdhury as P K Biju and M B Rajesh (both CPI-M) supported the Congress member.

Raising the issue during zero hour, Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandhopadhyay recalled the Prime Minister's visit to the Pashupatinath Temple yesterday and his donation of ghee and 2500 kg of sandalwood.