City Muslim groups yet to take call on Eid celebrations

Nagpur: Muslim groups in the city are yet to take a final call on when to celebrate Eid-e-Milad — September 28 or September 29.
Associations in most other cities have decided on celebrating the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad on September 29. This has been done to ensure the festival does not coincide with Anant Chaturthi (Ganesh immersion) which falls on September 28 and pose administrative challenges for the authorities.
Abdul Kalam, general secretary of Seerat Un Nabi Committee, said they are waiting for moon sighting to take a final call.Committee volunteer Wasim Khan, who is also the city president of Congress minority cell, said that Muslims follow lunar calendar and beginning of new month depends on crescent moon. Eid-e-Milad is celebrated on the 12th day of Rabiul Awwal (3rd Islamic month). If the moon is seen on Saturday then September 27 will be Eid day. If it remains a 30-day month, then it is likely that the celebrations will be postponed for September 29.
Wasim Khan said that police have assured them that both festivals can be celebrated on the same day, but they don’t want to overburden the administration. Former minister and Congress leader Mohammad Arif Khan has asked chief minister Eknath Shinde to declared September 29 as Eid-e-Milad.