NDA allies JD(U), LJP criticise Assam CM Himanta Sarama's decision to scrap Friday break for Muslim MLAs

NDA allies JDU and LJP disagreed with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and criticised the state Assembly’s decision to discontinue the two-hour break on Fridays for Muslim MLAs to offer namaz.

JDU leader Neeraj Kumar said Sarma should focus instead on issues like poverty alleviation and flood prevention.



"The decision made by the Assam chief minister is against the core principles of the country's Constitution. Every religious belief has the right to preserve its traditions. I want to ask CM Sarma: You are imposing a ban on Friday holidays during Ramzan and claim that this will increase work efficiency. A significant part of Hindu tradition is the Maa Kamakhya Temple - can you impose a ban on the practice of sacrifice there?" he said.

Senior JDU member K C Tyagi said the Preamble of the Constitution provides for liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. He added that no one should do something that hurts the spirit of the Constitution and the religious sentiments of people.


LJP's Delhi president Raju Tiwari also objected to the decision by the Assam government. He said that the freedom of religious practices must be respected.

Sarma defended his government's decision and said that it came after a consensus among Hindu and Muslim legislators.

"The Hindus and Muslims of our assembly sat in the MLA's Rule Committee and unanimously resolved that the two-hour break is not right. We should work during this period as well. This practice started in 1937 and has been discontinued from yesterday," said Sarma.

The two allies from Bihar had recently questioned the lateral entry move of the Centre without compliance of quota provisions after which the decision was withdrawn.