President Ram Nath Kovind will not host Iftar party at Rashtrapati Bhavan this year, says govt official

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind will not host an Iftar party this year at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. “After the president took over office, he decided there would be no religious celebrations or observances in a public building such as Rashtrapati Bhavan on taxpayer expense. This is in keeping with the principles of a secular state and applies to all religious occasions, irrespective of religion,” said Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the president.

Of course the President wishes all fellow citizens on all major religious festivals. Officials and employees living in the President's Estate premises are absolutely free to celebrate any religious festival of their choice in the privacy of their homes 2/3

— Ashok Malik (@MalikAshok) June 6, 2018

President's Estate has religious institutions, such as a temple, a gurudwara and a masjid, erected by and for residents. On major festive occasions, the President does visit these to wish people. For example, he recently visited the masjid to mark the holy month of Ramzan 3/3

— Ashok Malik (@MalikAshok) June 6, 2018

He said the president, of course, wishes all fellow citizens on every major religious festivals. After a gap of a decade, there will be no Iftar celebrations at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Iftar parties have been traditionally hosted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan except during the tenure of APJ Abdul Kalam, who was the president from 2002-2007, officials said. Iftar is the breaking of the ‘roza’ (fast) that is observed by the Muslims during the month of Ramzan.