After Kalam, Kovind decides to skip Iftar at Rashtrapati Bhavan
What's the story
Continuing his ideology of not celebrating religious ceremonies on taxpayers' expense, President Ram Nath Kovind won't host an Iftar party this time at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Considering he also skipped Diwali and Christmas, this was no surprise. However, there's no restriction on anyone living in the President's Estate premises celebrating any festival in their homes. Late APJ Abdul Kalam had also done something similar.
Decision
Temple, mosque and gurudwara inside President's Estate open for residents
The president's directions came soon after he took office in July'17, said Ashok Malik, Kovind's Press Secretary. "This is in keeping with the principles of a secular state and applies to all festivities." But others are free to do so, he added. "President's Estate has religious institutions, such as a temple, a gurudwara and a masjid, erected by and for residents."
Do you know?
Here's how Kovind celebrated Diwali, Christmas and Eid
There were no celebrations at the presidential palace last Diwali too. The building was simply lit up with multi-colored LED bulbs. On Christmas, the Bhavan skipped the traditional carols. To mark Ramzan, Kovind visited the mosque in the premises and greeted people.
Kalam
Kovind is the next president after Kalam to cancel Iftar
Iftar was discontinued during 2002-07, when Kalam was president, because he didn't want to organize a religious festival with public funds. Though he met people on Eid, funds for Iftar were donated to orphanages. His successor Pratibha Patil resumed it, but cancelled Christmas celebrations in 2008 to honor the 26/11 victims. That year, Rashtrapati Bhavan sent grocery items to orphanages in Delhi.
Modi
PM Modi has skipped Iftar four years in a row
Incidentally, PM Narendra Modi has not attended a single Iftar party at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In 2014, he was in Mumbai to attend a program; in 2015 and 2016, he was attending meetings in the national capital, and in 2017, he left for a three-nation tour the same morning. Kovind's predecessor Pranab Mukherjee held his last Iftar on June 23, 2017.
Trump
In contrast to his rhetoric, Trump hosts Iftar at WH
Things are contrary on the other end. For the first time, US President Donald Trump hosted Iftar at the White House. In contrast to his inflammatory rhetoric, Trump honored the "sacred tradition of one of the world's great religions." Simultaneously, Muslim organizations organized a "NOT Trump's Iftar" protest at a park near the White House. Last year, breaking decades-old tradition, he had foregone the event.