Iftar gatherings at sunset during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan have gained in popularity over the past decades in Kerala. From personal and familial to social and political, Iftar meetings have evolved into a platform more serious and beyond communal camaraderie. From merely breaking bread with friends and family after a full day’s fasting, Iftar parties have unrolled into social gatherings where the issues and concerns of society, particularly the Muslim community, are discussed.
From Jawaharlal Nehru to the present day, political Iftars have a long history. When Nehru hoisted Iftars for friends and acquaintances, it was his daughter Indira Gandhi who brought political tones to Iftar. Most political parties, saving the BJP, vied for national attention through Iftar parties. First BJP Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, however, was an exception. Vajpayee upheld the tradition in spite of the hardliners within the party describing it as “Muslim appeasement”.
