Gangtok celebrates Eid, underlines calm and brotherhood

GANGTOK, 20 Aug: Eid-ul-Fitr festivities began with a special Namaaz here at the Gangtok Jama Masjid this morning. Given the anxious week the nation has been through in light of exodus of people from the North East from various cities in South India, the Eid in Gangtok too was nuanced with an appeal for calm and a reiteration of Islam’s peaceful credentials.
Speaking on the issue of tension which reared in South India, Mohmmad Asgar Ali, the Maulvi at the Gangtok Jama Masjid, reiterated that Islam forbids not only the killing of people, but even intimidation.
The rumours being spread about retaliatory violence in South India are “not good” and will only bring about division amongst people, he said.
It especially unfortunate that the rumours of violent reprisals were timed for the month of Ramazan and its culmination with Eid-ul-Fitr. The Maulvi explained that Eid means celebration and Fitr means to break the fast, thus the festival celebrates the breaking of the fast and the vanquishing of everything that is evil or impure within us.
“All acts of violence in any form are against humanity and peace should be maintained at all costs,” he said and added that everyone should stay in one brotherhood and find love for each other.