Senior BJP Leader Applauds Abolition of Friday Namaz Break in Assam Assembly

Union Minister Giriraj Singh has praised the Assam legislative assembly’s decision to abolish the Friday namaz break, a practice dating back to the British era. He criticized opposition leaders for their objections, claiming they prioritize Muslim vote banks. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also supported the move for increased productivity.

Senior BJP leader and union minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday praised the abolition of the 'Friday namaz break' in the Assam legislative assembly, which had been in effect since the British era.

Speaking to journalists in Bihar's Begusarai district, Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha MP, criticized leaders of the INDIA bloc for opposing the measure in the BJP-governed northeastern state.

'I thank the Speaker of the assembly in Assam as well as the state government for this step. It is essential to have uniformity in law and no preferential treatment should be given to any religious community,' said Singh.

Known for his hardline Hindutva stance, Singh responded sharply to critics, accusing opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav of pandering to the Muslim vote bank. 'If they had their way, there would be holidays across the country every Friday,' he added.

Singh argued that Hindus have never sought holidays on their sacred days, despite their significance. 'If these opposition leaders ever come to power, they will push the country in the direction of Bangladesh and Pakistan,' he warned.

In a post on X on Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated, 'By doing away with the 2 hour Jumma break, @AssamAssembly has prioritized productivity and shed another vestige of colonial baggage. This practice was introduced by Muslim League's Syed Saadulla in 1937.' He thanked the Speaker and legislators for the historic decision.

(With inputs from agencies.)