At Mahim Dargah (below) on Saturday. The Tricolour was also hoisted on the 607th Urs of Hazrat Makhadum Fakih Ali Mahimi. (Express Photo: Prashant Nadkar)

The Preamble to the Constitution was read for the first time on Saturday ahead of the 607th Urs of Hazrat Makhadum Fakih Ali Mahimi at Mahim dargah on Saturday evening. The Tricolour was also hoisted on the occasion.

Maintaining that the move was made to connect communities and to show solidarity to the nation, Mahim and Haji Ali Dargah managing trustee Suhail Khandwani said: “The idea behind reading the Preamble was to bring communal harmony and peace among the society and the people.”

Khandwani, along with noted lawyer Rizwan Merchant and others present at the dargah, recited the Preamble. “The Preamble reminds us that we should remain a democracy and a republic. It is important to maintain all that are fundamental to us, like justice, liberty and equality,” Merchant said.

“It is the responsibility of all communities to follow the Constitution. Every religious place should read the Preamble. Such a step will spread the message brotherhood, love and affection, irrespective of caste and colour,” he added.

Many visitors hailed the initiative, which also saw the Trust unveiling a plaque depicting the Preamble. “The Preamble is being taught in schools… but sometimes, many people don’t know what is the Constitution. The Preamble is the base of the Constitution. It mentions that we are to follow secularism, equality and federalism… Such a move will help people to understand the Constitution in a better way,” Ashraf Ahmad Shaikh, an Bombay High Court advocate, said.