The Maharashtra government rescheduled the official Id-e-Milad holiday in Mumbai from September 16 to September 18 to avoid the clash between Anant Chaturdashi and Id-e-Milad processions.
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Maharashtra government issued a notification on Friday stating, “On Tuesday, September 17, is the Hindu festival of Anant Chaturdashi, to maintain peace and social harmony between the two communities, the Muslim Community has decided to organise a procession program on Wednesday, September 18. Therefore, the public holiday of Id-e-Milad is being declared on September 18 instead of September 16.” This has been declared for Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs and a few other districts.
For the rest of the districts in the State, it will be the Collector’s discretion. She will have to decide on the basis of the procession programme organised by the Muslims in their districts.
Id-e-Milad marks the birth of Prophet Muhammad usually falls on September 16. Some Muslim community leaders and Muslim MLAs had also written to the government with this request.
Claiming that the political climate was becoming polarised, Congress leader Naseem Khan told The Hindu, “After discussing with prominent Muslim organisations, I wrote a letter to CM for change in holiday. Both festivals must be celebrated peacefully without conflicts, we do not want to give a single opportunity to polarise the festivals and destroy communal harmony.”