Politics

Minority appeasement of Nitish govt: Holidays for festivals of Hindus slashed, increased for Muslims in Bihar

Holidays for Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakhi, Teej and Jitiya stand cancelled in Bihar

PGurus Newsdesk

November 28, 2023

Holidays for Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakhi, Teej and Jitiya stand cancelled in Bihar

‘The Islamic Republic of Bihar’: Political battle on the decision of Nitish govt, strong attack from BJP

The Bihar Mahagathbandhan government led by Nitish Kumar has reduced the holidays on Hindu festivals while increasing the same for Muslim festivals, in what is being perceived as a minority appeasement strategy ahead of the Assembly and the Lok Sabha poll.

The holidays for Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Juha, and Muharram were enhanced from 2 days to three.

Holidays for Hartalika Teej, Janmashtami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakhi, Teej, and Jitiya stand cancelled.

Even the summer vacation has also increased from 20 days to 30 days for the year 2024.

On Monday evening, the education department issued a leave notification in this regard. Besides, it has also increased the summer vacation by 10 more days. As per the fresh notification for the year 2024, the education department has made mandatory 220 days of studying for the students.

Interestingly, the Central government announced a holiday on Janmashtami, Mahashivratri, and Ramnavami, with all Central government offices and banks closed every year.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh reacted sharply to the development saying Nitish Kumar is working under the agendas of Quran and Sharia law to make Bihar a Muslim state.

“The way this government has sliced the leave of Mahashivratri and Janmashtami and enhanced the leave of Eid and Muharram, it appears that Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad who have become Mohammad Nitish Kumar and Mohammad Lalu Prasad Yadav are working on a line of the Muslim religion,” he jibed.

Due to the policies of this government, the population of Muslims in Araria, Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj, and other districts of the Seemanchal region has increased now.

The Kumar government has also announced Friday leave in Muslim dominant areas which is also a violation in this secular country,” Singh said.

“The Bihar government has taken a Tughlaq decision late on Monday night and sliced the leave of Hindu festivals and enhanced the leave of Muslim festivals. This is an ‘anti-Hindu’ mindset that the Nitish Kumar government has adopted to please the Muslim vote bank. Kumar thinks that he would get Hindu votes by dividing them into castes and luring Muslims by increasing the leave. I want to tell the CM that this mindset would not work in the state. BJP strongly condemns this move and demands an immediate rollback.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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