Following former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who had discontinued the practice of hosting an iftar party at the Rashtrapati Bhavan between 2002 and 2007, President Ram Nath Kovind has decided to give the annual ritual a miss starting this year, The New Indian Express has reported.

“Rashtrapati Bhavan is the embodiment of a secular state. Matters of religion and governance have to be kept separate. On tax payers’ expense, the building does not host any religious function irrespective of the religion involved,” said Ashok Malik, press secretary to President Kovind, confirming the development.

Last year, after Kovind took over as the president, carol singing during Christmas also did not take place in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Christmas event was never given a miss under former Presidents Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee. Patil had also resumed the annual iftar party when she took office and Mukherjee continued the ‘tradition’.

Kalam had decided to direct the funds put aside for iftar towards orphanages, and the same likely to happen this year.