Udupi : Roshan Baig, Urban Development Minister, said on Monday that the Souharda Upahara Koota (Iftaar), organised by Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Paryaya Pejawar Mutt for a gathering of Muslims to break their fast here on June 24 was a model for everybody.

Speaking to presspersons after meeting the Pejawar seer at the Sri Krishna Mutt Mr. Baig said that by holding the Souharda Upahara Koota, the Pejawar seer had responded to the feelings of the Muslim community. “So too, Muslim religious leaders should hold a Souharda Koota for Deepavali and invite Hindus to it. This would lead to harmonious relations between both the communities,” he said.

Mr. Baig also felicitated the seer for facilitating harmony among communities on the occasion. The seer offered a memento to Mr. Baig.

“I came here to offer my gratitude to the seer for trying to develop harmony among the communities. I have had cordial relations with the seer and I have visited him earlier also,” Mr. Baig said.

Asked if the seer had not courted controversy by organising the Iftaar, Mr. Baig said that Iftaar was being organised in many countries. “The seer has sowed the seeds of harmony. The coastal districts have seen an increase in untoward incidents. I have urged the seer to pray for peace and harmony in this region,” he said.

On whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had decided to use the combination of backward classes and minority communities known under the acronym of AHINDA as a weapon against increasing communalism in the State for the next Assembly elections, Mr. Baig said that Mr. Siddaramaiah was already in favour of AHINDA.

There was no question of General Secretary of All India Congress Committee K.C. Venugopal or any other influential person having any undue influence on this matter on Mr. Siddaramaiah. It was a matter of different types of ideologies which people believed in. “We are ready to face the elections,” he said.

Mr. Baig refused to answer a question on Mr. Siddaramaiah not visiting the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple.

M.A. Gafoor, Chairman of Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, B. Narasimhamurthy, Chairperson of Udupi Urban Development Authority, were present.