Fashion Street Ganpati Mandal organises iftar for 300 Muslim workers

With communal tension being fuelled across the country, especially during festivities, this iftar was also an effort to set the record straight. “We keep hearing about communal tensions during Ram Navami in Bihar, Gujarat and other places

Mumbai:

Fashion Street Ganpati Mandal organises iftar for 300 Muslim workers

A long dastarkhān (table cloth) was laid out on the ground at Fashion Street, Churchgate, with hearty servings of fruits, sherbet and bhajiyas. To savour it, around 300 Muslims were in attendance. This was not a regular community meal but for the first time, a unique gesture by Fashion Street Ganpati Mandal in Fort which organised the iftar to spread the message of togetherness and shun hate.

Vinay Gupta, member, Fashion Street Ganpati Mandal, said that they wanted to do something for their Muslim brothers.

“We arranged for fruits, sherbet and bhajiyas. We wanted to spread the message of togetherness and we believe in celebrating each other’s festivals,” said Gupta.

With communal tension being fuelled across the country, especially during festivities, this iftar was also an effort to set the record straight. “We keep hearing about communal tensions during Ram Navami in Bihar, Gujarat and other places. But it was so good to witness harmony here at Fashion Street during Ramzan, there are 400 shops and there are at least two Muslims working in each shop. At least 300 people participated in this iftar. There is an environment of hate today and to stop the same, we distributed ladoos during Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday,” said Mohammed Jahangir Shaikh, a vendor who is also the vice president of Fashion Street Ganesh Utsav Mandal.

The expense came up to ₹40,000 for the mandal. Shamiullah Shaikh, a vendor at Fashion Street who participated in the iftar organised by Fashion Street Ganesh Mandal said, “This is such a positive move. We are not opposed to each other’s festivals and we are businessmen. We liked the gesture of them giving us a dawat.”

Shyam Nagarcha Raja mandal in Vile Parle’s president Shivaji Khairnar observes roza during Ramzan and said his objective was to convey the message, ‘sarva dharma sambhav’ in these troubled times.

“I have kept Roza in the last 15 years and especially on 27th which is Badi raat because I want to show that we are one regardless of the faiths we follow,” said Khairnar.

Suhail Khandwani, trustee Mahim and Haji Ali dargahs had organised an iftar on Thursday for members of WIHUM (World Interfaith Harmony Unity Mission) which comprises members from various religious groups.

“WIHUM comprises 30 members and they were shown how iftari is distributed by the trust and explained to them the history of Haji Ali dargah. We want to teach compassion and respect all religions on the platform of humanity,” said Khandwani.