Express News Service
MUMBAI: Even while the controversy over former President Pranab Mukherjee’s scheduled visit to Nagpur to attend RSS function is far from over, programs of two other organizations in the RSS fold are likely to invite new controversies. While the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) would be throwing an iftar party in Mumbai, the World Hindu Economic Forum at Chicago scheduled for later this year has former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan as one of the speakers.
MRM organizes iftar parties every year. But, Mumbai has been chosen as the venue for the iftar for the first time.
“Mumbai being an economic hub, houses several consulates. We expect at least 30 consul generals to attend the iftar party on June 4 at the Sahyadri state guest house at Malabar hill,” said Irafan Ali Peerjade, Mumbai based National Co-Convenor of the MRM.
The party would also be attended by over 200 prominent personalities from various organizations of the Muslim community in Mumbai that includes educational institutions like Anjuman-E-Islam, he added.
“We don’t hide our affiliation with the RSS and it is well received in the Muslim community that yearns for true development on educational, social, economic and political fronts. We are getting together to ponder over such issues and since it is the month of Islam, we also decided to have Iftari,” Peerjade added.
“Iftar parties is nothing new to MRM. We had been organizing such parties for past few years at Delhi. They have been well attended by the diplomatic officials from various Islamic countries and it had also helped put up a positive image of India in the Islamic world,” said MRM national convenor Virag Pachpore.
Meanwhile, in yet another potentially controversial move the World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) to be organized at Chicago in the month of September this year has former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan as one of the speakers.
WHEF is a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) initiative that promotes cooperation and collaboration amongst the financially successful elements within Hindu society such as traders, bankers, technocrats, investors, industrialists, business persons, professionals, along with economists and thinkers, so that each group can share their business knowledge, experience, expertise and resources with their fellow brethren. The initiative is based on Acharya Chanakya’s philosophy “Dharmasya Moolam Arthah” or Economy is the Strength.
“We want him to speak on policy international issues,” said Ashok Chaugule, international working president of the VHP, while confirming that Rajan, who is based in Chicago now a days, has been invited for the event. However, whether Rajan is yet to confirm his presence, he added.
