Prime Minister slammed for positive Ramadan message

By Janene Pieters on June 18, 2015 - 11:46
Prime Minister Mark Rutte
. Prime Minister Mark Rutte / Wikipedia

Prime Minister Mark Rutte's good intentions backfired on him when hundreds of Dutch tweeters reacted negatively to his well wishes for Ramadan.

"I wish the million Muslims in the Netherlands a fine Ramadan. Ramadan kareem." Rutte tweeted on Thursday, the start of the 30 day Muslim fasting month. The reactions to this tweet were not exactly positive.

Negative replies included "Would you leave faith out of it? Separate church and state!", "What do you wish the about as many Dutch who would like to use cannabis?", "Will you do this for all other religious communities too?", "Dear Prime Minister Rutte, you never wish me as a Christian a good fasting time or a nice Easter. Why not?", "I hope they starve", "Slime ball" and "How do you spell  traitor?????"

 

The replies were not all negative at least. Many a tweeter thanked the Prime Minister for a beautiful gesture. "Beautiful gesture. This is how it should be."

During Ramadan many Muslims fast for thirty days, they do not eat, drink or smoke between dawn and sunset, Z24 reports. For them Ramadan is a time for sacrifice, reflection and solidarity with the poor. Only pregnant women, the chronically ill and small children do not participate in the fast.

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