NAGAPATTINAM: Members of the South Indian Dargahs and Mosques Association (SIDMA) on Saturday submitted a petition with Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chennai, seeking an increase in the allocation of free rice to places of worship for serving porridge during Ramadan to 6,500 metric tonnes.
The state government has been providing around 5,500 metric tonnes of raw rice (‘pacharisi’) for free to dargahs and masjids so that they can serve porridge (‘nonbu kanji’) to the worshipers and the poor when they break fasting during Ramadan. The rice is distributed through the civil supplies department. The Islamic holy month of Ramadan this year falls from March 10 to April 9.
S Syed Mohamed Kalifa Sahib Qadiri, the president of SIDMA, said, “We request the state government to increase the quantity of free rice for Ramadan porridge taking into consideration the 3,200 beneficiary Islamic institutions in the state that represent the mosques and dargahs. We urge the government to issue the order for free rice before March 8 so that the rice can be despatched from warehouses without interruption due to the election model code of conduct.”
The SIDMA president along with its secretary MG Muzammil Jafar placed the request with the CM at the Secretariat. They also expressed gratitude for the support in previous years. The CM assured to consider their request.