Maha Congress: Postpone Eid-e-Milad holiday due to Ganeshotsav

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress has urged the state government to postpone the Eid-e-Milad holiday, marking the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, from September 28 to 29 as it coincides with the Ganeshotsav immersion ceremonies this year, here on Tuesday.

In a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, State Congress Working President M. Arif Naseem Khan said that the 10-day Ganeshotsav will end on Anant Chaturdashi, with the immersion processions being taken out on September 28.

This year, Eid-e-Milad also falls on the same day (September 28) when huge processions are taken out in honour of the Prophet and it could inconvenience people from both the communities.

"Last week, the All India Khilafat Committee held a meeting and it was decided that since the two festivals are falling on the same day (September 28), the Muslims voluntarily decided to postpone their Eid-e-Milad processions by a day, to September 29. This will enable both communities to enjoy their respective festivals," Khan added.

Accordingly, major Muslim organisations in Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Jalna, Nashik, Beed, Pune and other places will take out the Eid-e-Milad processions on September 29.

Therefore, the State Congress Working President urged Shinde to push back the Eid-e-Milad national holiday by a day -- from September 28 to 29 -- as a gesture of goodwill to the minority community.

Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Konkan and other cities resemble a sea of humanity with millions trooping on the roads to bid adieu to the elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesh, at the end of the 10-day Ganeshotsav which will be celebrated in a grand manner this year after the restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic from 2020-2022.

Simultaneously, many Muslim groups through the Islam Gymkhana will organise a fortnight-long 'Prophet For All' initiative to invite non-Muslims to mosques, mausoleums and homes, offer them food or snacks, explain to them about the religion, and remove misconceptions in their minds, after the success of a similar campaign last year.