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French interior minister has come under fireÌýfor aÌýtweet in which he conveyed greetings to France's Muslim minority.

"I wish all Muslims in our country a happy Ramadan," Darmanin said onÌýFriday, the eve of the .

Twitter users accused the minister of the country which prides itself on secularism of hypocrisy.

Several asked why Darmanin had not tweeted greetings for the Catholic holiday of Lent, which began on 2 March.

The minister also received criticism from some Muslims, who pointed out thatÌýhe last year pushed through anÌý"anti-separatism" bill that activists sayÌýtargetsÌýFrance'sÌýMuslim community.

As part of the bill, for preaching "unacceptable" content.

"Coming from a minister who has fervently taken part in the criminalisation, repression, and/or dissolution of a number of Muslim figures and structures... it's damn cheeky," journalist and activist Siham AssbagueÌý in reply to Darmanin's tweet.

Some Twitter users accused Darmanin of trying to appease French Muslims ahead of the country's elections.

The latest opinion polls showed France'sÌýcentrist leader Ìýis losing ground to Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate who has expressed Islamophobic views.

Darmanin responded to the backlash for his tweet on Saturday.

"Yesterday I wished a happy Ramadan to our Muslim compatriots, and I'm proud of that," he on Facebook.

"Since then, many comments, a bit racist, evoking that I did not wish a happy birthday to Christians or Jews."

He produced a list of links to congratulatory messages he had shared for Christian and Jewish holidays.

Darmanin - whose middle name isÌýMoussa - is of Algerian, Armenian, and Maltese descent.

He announced last month thatÌýhe will be , accusing them of "fuelling hatred".