Top Opposition leaders attend Jamiat-e-Ulema’s Eid Milan in Delhi

An Eid Milan reception hosted by Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind faction led by Maulana Arshad Madni on June 20 in Delhi, turned out be an occasion of gathering of top Opposition leaders of North Indian states. The reception at Hotel Ashok became more significant as leaders from all the major political parties ensured their attendance. Every year, leaders of political parties attend Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind’s annual Eid Milan reception, but this year it was important for non-BJP political parties as this was the last Eid Milan reception before the next general elections in 2019.

The President of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind Maulana Arshad Madni said “Unity in diversity is the spirit of our country and we need to uphold it in true spirit”. He urged everyone to safeguard the communal harmony of this country.

Former Vice President of India Hamid Ansari attended the reception along with leaders and representatives from different walks of life. Also present were former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra, Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi, JD(S) leader Danish Ali and AAP leader Sanjay Singh.

Several senior Congress leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel, Ashok Gehlot, Deepender Hooda, Haroon Yusuf, Chaudhary Mateen, Hasan Ahmed, Meem Afzal, Nadeem Javed, Mirza Javed, Tariq Siddiqui and others were present.

Several leaders and parties also tweeted about the event.

The Chief of Jamat-e-Islami Hind Maulana Jalaluddin Umri, Asghar Imam Mehdi of Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Tauqeer Raza of Barelvi sect, Acharya Pramod Krishan, Swami Agnivesh, President of Indian Islamic Cultural Centre Sirajuddin Qureshi, President of Mushawarat Naved Hamid, activist Shabnam Hashmi, senior journalist John Dayal and other senior journalists and social activists attended the Eid Milan reception. Many lined up to take selfies with Tejashwi Yadav.

On June 21, a day after Maulana Arshad’s Eid Milan reception, the other faction of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind led by Arshad’s nephew Maulana Mehmood Madni is hosting an Eid Milan party at ITC Maurya hotel in Delhi. Both factions of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind have strong base in the Deobandi school and enjoy good support among Muslims, thus these Eid Milan parties months before the general elections are politically very significant.