Assam Ends 90-Year-Old ‘Namaz Break’ Tradition In Assembly

The decades-old Assam Meeting custom of a two-hour break to facilitate Muslim legislators to supply ‘namaz’ on Fridays was discontinued for the primary time through the ongoing finances session. The choice to eliminate the break was taken within the final session of the Home in August, however carried out from this sitting.

Expressing dissatisfaction over it, AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam maintained that it was a choice imposed on the energy of numbers.

“There are about 30 Muslim MLAs within the meeting. We had expressed our views towards the transfer. However they (the BJP) have the numbers and are imposing it on the premise of that,” Islam mentioned.

Chief of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress mentioned provision will be made for the Muslim MLAs to supply ‘namaz’ close by on Fridays.

“Right now, a number of of my get together colleagues and AIUDF MLAs missed vital dialogue as they went to supply ‘namaz’. Since it’s a particular prayer requirement just for Fridays, I believe a provision will be made for it close by,” he mentioned.

The choice to discontinue the practically 90-year-old observe was taken by the Guidelines Committee of the Home, headed by the Speaker, in August final 12 months.

Speaker Biswajit Daimary, “in view of the secular nature of the Structure, had proposed that the Assam Legislative Meeting should conduct its proceedings on Fridays like some other day”, which was positioned earlier than the Guidelines Committee and handed unanimously.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had welcomed the choice, stating that it was a observe launched by the Muslim League’s Syed Saadulla in 1937, and the choice to discontinue the break “prioritised productiveness and shed one other vestige of colonial baggage”.

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