Kovind mirrors A P J Abdul Kalam; decides to do away with Iftar party at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Mirroring his predecessor Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, President Ram Nath Kovind has decided to do away with the Iftar party at Rashtrapati Bhavan this year. During his tenure, Kovind will not host any religious event at his Rajpath residence in Delhi.

"After the President took over the office, he decided there would be no religious celebrations or observances in a public building such as Rashtrapati Bhavan on taxpayer expense," said Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the president.

"This is in keeping with the principles of a secular state and applies to all religious occasions, irrespective of religion," Malik added.

#WATCH Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the President of India, says, "after President Kovind took office on July 25th 2017, he decided that Rashtrapati Bhavan being a public building, there would be no religious observances or celebrations in this building at taxpayers' expense" pic.twitter.com/n8BH8q8qGB

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2018

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However, the president, of course, wishes all fellow citizens on every major religious festival in India. After a gap of a decade, there will be no Iftar celebrations at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this year.

Iftar parties have been traditionally celebrated with much grandeur and zeal at the Rashtrapati Bhavan except during the tenure of A P J Abdul Kalam. He held the president's office from 2002 to 2007.

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Iftar is the breaking of the 'Roza' (fast) that is observed by the Muslims during the month of Ramzan (Ramadan). This year, Iftar falls on June 14, 2018.