Not my decision, it is Assembly’s, says Assam CM Sarma as ending Jumma break practice invites criticism

Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 30 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma affirmed that the decision to scrap the practice of 2-hour adjournment for Jumma prayers in the state legislative assembly was a collective decision.

Assam Legislative Assembly earlier in the day officially amended the rule providing for a two-hour break Jumma break observed to facilitate Muslim legislators to offer Friday prayers. The decision, however, invited criticism from several opposition leaders.

Assam CM Sarma said that the decision was not his alone but collectively of the state assembly and added that the Assembly rules committee also includes members from the minority community.

“In 1937, the Muslim League was ruling Assam and Sir Syed Saadulla was the CM, he made this rule that every Friday there would be a 2-hour break for Jumma ki namaz. Today our MLAs decided that we come to the Assembly for work, so we don’t want a 2-hour break. There are members from the minority community in our Assembly rules committee, so everyone has taken this decision. This is not my decision, it is the Assembly’s decision,” CM Sarma said while speaking to reporters on Friday.

The state assembly ended the practice of a two-hour adjournment for Jumma Prayers, every Friday that was introduced by Saadulah’s Muslim League government in colonial Assam.

Assam Speaker Biswajit Daimary said that the decision was taken as it had become difficult to hold discussions on Fridays due to a lack of time.

“Since the times of the British, on every Friday of the week, Assam Assembly used to be adjourned by 11.30 am to perform Namaz. I noticed that it used to become difficult to hold discussions due to a lack of time on Fridays. People from other religions also started asking for a separate time to perform their rituals. From today onwards the Assam Assembly will not be adjourned to perform Jumma,” Biswajit Daimary said.

Earlier in a post on X, CM Sarma said that the decision was taken to prioritise the productivity of the assembly. Calling the decision as historic, CM Sarma expressed his gratitude towards the Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary for this decision.

“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. My gratitude to Biswajit Daimar Dangoriya and our legislators for this historical decision,” CM Sarma said.

In a post on X, Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika said, “An important milestone to reclaim true secularism in Assam. Assam Assembly today has ended the practice of a 2 hour adjournment for Jumma prayers, every Friday. This practice was introduced by Saadulah’s Muslim League Government in colonial Assam.”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Taranga Gogoi dubbed it as “historic” and said, “As India is a secular country and if somebody takes a break for Namaz, Hindus can also take a break for our rituals. But the break was given to a particular community for many years. It is a historic decision,” Taranga Gogoi said while speaking to ANI on Friday.

“AIUDF and Congress MLAs should also thank the state government,” he added.

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav hit out at CM Sarma and alleged that the Assam Chief Minister wants “cheap popularity” and further said that the BJP wants to “bother Muslims in some way or the other.”

“Assam’s CM is doing this for cheap popularity. Who is he? He just wants cheap popularity. BJP has made Muslims a soft target. They want to bother Muslims in some way or the other and spread hatred in society. BJP should understand that even Muslims had sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle,” Yadav said while speaking to reporters in Patna on Friday.

Samajwadi Party leader ST Hassan said, “Himanta Biswa Sarma spreads poison in the society. His government is against Muslims.”

According to the previous rule, the sitting of the Assembly on Friday used to be adjourned at 11 am to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaaz, but, as per the new rule, the Assembly will conduct its proceedings without any adjournment for religious purposes.

As per the amended rule, the Assam assembly will commence its proceedings at 9.30 am every day, including Fridays. The order stated that the amendment was done to scrap the colonial practice which aimed at dividing the society on a religious basis.