Lucknow, Aug 20 (IANS) It was a day of prayers and feasting in Uttar Pradesh Monday when Muslims turned up in large numbers to celebrate with traditional fervour Eid-ul-Fitr to mark the end of the month of Ramzan.
Thousands of nattily dressed devout Muslims turned up at the Aishbagh Eidgah in Lucknow where the afternoon prayers were led by Imam Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahli.
Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav joined the festivities at the Eidgah and greeted all those present there.
Exhorting Muslims to work for communal harmony and all-round development of the state, the chief minister said that Eid was celebrated by everyone cutting across community lines.
A large number of people offered ‘namaaz’ in Agra, Meerut, Allahabad, Kanpur, Moradabad, Aligarh, Varanasi and other towns of the state and greeted friends and relatives on the occasion.
Police contingents were stationed in major cities and towns to avert any violence.
Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan and president of the Peace Party of India Mohammad Ayub, in separate statements, called for peace and cautioned people to be wary of rumours in the aftermath of the Assam and Myanmar violence.
