Guwahati:
The Assam assembly has decided to scrap its decades-old rule of giving a two-hour namaz break for Muslim legislators on Fridays. The assembly rules committee today adopted a resolution today to continue the business of the House on Friday like other days. Till today, the Assam assembly used to adjourn for two hours on Fridays to allow the Muslim MLAs to attend the namaz prayers.
“Since the creation of the Assam Legislative Assembly, the sitting of the Assembly on Friday used to be adjourned at 11 am to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaz. The assembly used to resume its proceedings in the post-lunch session after the Muslim members came back from the namaz. On all other days, the House used to conduct its proceedings without any such adjournment for religious purposes,” said a press statement.
It further stated, “Shri Biswajit Daimary, Hon’ble Speaker took note of this matter and in view of the secular nature of the Constitution, proposed that the Assam Legislative Assembly must conduct its proceedings on Fridays like any other day without any adjournment to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaz,”.
“By doing away with the 2-hour Jumma break, @AssamAssembly has prioritised productivity and shed another vestige of colonial baggage. This practice was introduced by Muslim League’s Syed Saadulla in 1937,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X.
The opposition has criticised the move and said it “hurts Muslim sentiments”.
This story was originally published in ndtv.com. Read the full story here.
