New Delhi, Feb 02: The festival of Eid-Ul-Zuha is being celebrated all over the country with great fervour and gaiety today. People attired in new clothes offered prayers and sacrifice of goats, besides greeting each other on this occasion. Shahi Imami of Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti Mohammad Mukkaram Ahmed led a congregation of over two lakh Muslims gathered here to offer namaz. They prayed for global peace, prosperity, and communal harmony.

Addressing the congregation, the Shahi Imam called upon the devotees to be ready to sacrifice as was done by Prophet Hazrat Ibrahim, who was ready to surrender his beloved son Hazrat Ismail in the love of Allah. The Shahi Imam criticised the Vajpayee Government for "sheltering communal forces and disregarding minorities during the Gujarat riot and by the distribution of Trishuls." He called the people to elect a secular government in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

He reiterated the demand for reconstruction of Babri Masjid on its original site. He also demanded the removal of religious sanction under Article 341.

The Shahi Imam appealed to both India and Pakistan to continue with the composite dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue. He also condemned terrorism and atrocities on innocent people. Flaying the US and Britain for deposing Saddam Hussain in Iraq, the Shahi Imam urged the United Nations to accelerate the political process for a lasting and durable peace in the West Asia and restoration of the rights of the Palestines.

Mufti Mukkaram also condemned the Israeli aggression and appealed to the Islamic countries to unitedly oppose Israel and America in their attacks. Bureau Report