New Delhi, March 20 (NationPress) Former Union minister and Congress figure, Mani Shankar Aiyar, conveyed Eid wishes on Friday, asserting that Muslims globally, especially in India, frequently become targets of communal forces.

“This past year has presented significant challenges for the Muslim community. Across the globe, Muslims are grappling with a myriad of issues. In India, the Muslim community often finds itself at the center of communal strife,” stated the 84-year-old politician in a video message shared on YouTube.

The message, titled “Eid in a Time of War: Gaza, Iran & West Asia Crisis,” was featured on his YouTube channel ‘Mani Talk,’ which described it as a “unique Eid message amid a world facing intense wars and humanitarian emergencies.”

“From the heartbreaking situation in Gaza to the ongoing conflict in Iran and the broader turmoil in West Asia, this address underscores the necessity for peace, compassion, and a sense of shared humanity during these turbulent times,” the channel's description elaborated.

In the seven-minute video, presented in both Hindi and English, Aiyar asserted that Muslims are often targeted by communal factions around the world, including in India.

He claimed that this situation extends “throughout West Asia, from Iran to the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and Syria, as well as parts of Central Asia such as South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Chechnya, along with Iran. Countries like Somalia, Libya, and Tunisia have also witnessed the Muslim ‘millat’ facing numerous atrocities, especially over the past year.”

Aiyar has previously attracted attention for various controversies, notably his remarks about party colleagues and comments on national leaders and historical matters.

He has openly criticized Congress leadership, describing himself as “Gandhian, Nehruvian, Rajivian, but not a Rahulian.”

His comments regarding party members, like labeling Shashi Tharoor an “unprincipled careerist,” K.C. Venugopal a “rowdy,” and Pawan Khera a “tattu” (pony), have drawn backlash.

During the 2024 election campaigns, he stirred controversy by asserting that China had “allegedly invaded India” in October 1962, a statement that the BJP condemned as historical revisionism; Aiyar later issued an apology.

“My family and I extend our heartfelt sympathies and pray that Allah brings peace and tranquility to the Muslim ‘millat’ in the coming year,” he concluded.

“It is our hope that in the years to come, peace, harmony, tranquility, and democracy will be restored within the Islamic world,” he remarked further.

“The relentless chase for material success at the cost of spiritual values and the disregard for our composite culture is damaging our global standing,” he asserted.

“Thus, on this sacred occasion of Eid, I wish my Muslim brothers and sisters around the world—from Southeast Asia to northwest Africa and beyond—the very best, and I hope that peace, harmony, and tranquility will soon reign among the entire Muslim ‘millat’,” he expressed.