NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding the tension between India and Pakistan over Nov. 26 terrorist strikes in Mumbai, President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh extended Eid greetings to the people of Pakistan.
While greeting the nation on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha, the two leaders also sent a message to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in which good wishes were conveyed to the people of Pakistan and vowed to work together for integrity and friendship in future.
Muslims across the nation celebrated Eid Al-Adha with traditional religious fervor. The impact of Mumbai tragedy was apparent with there being somber note in the celebrations and tight security across the country. Many Muslims were seen sporting black bands on their arms as their condemnation of terrorist strikes. “Festivities are on a low-key, because of the Mumbai incident,” a cleric at New Delhi’s Jama Masjid said.
Around 20,000 Muslims gathered at the historic mosque for Eid prayers. Security was stricter than usual, with worshipers passing through security checks. Besides, constant announcements were made to the public to report if they see anything suspicious.
Clerics across the nation condemned the Mumbai attacks in Eid sermons. Black bands — most visible in Mumbai — were also seen in Lucknow and other places. Condemning the Mumbai blasts, Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad said in Lucknow: “We strongly protest the unfair and inhuman use of jihad, and the Muslims involved in it are a shame to our religion.”
“No religion preaches killing people and Islam is strictly against it. We extend our apologies to the families of those killed in the terror attacks,” Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mehali of the Sunni sect said.
Mumbai tragedy was also echoed at a different level with many sacrificial goats named after Bollywood actors. So quite a few Shahrukh Khans and Salman Khans were on sale in old Delhi.
