The state assembly on Friday repealed a longstanding British-era law that provided a two-hour break for Muslim MLAs to attend Friday noon congregational prayers.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – Several recent decisions of the Hemant Biswa Sarma government in Assam specifically targeting Muslims have drawn severe criticism in many quarters including the media.
The state assembly on Friday repealed a longstanding British-era law that provided a two-hour break for Muslim MLAs to attend Friday noon congregational prayers. The move has been met with widespread criticism, including a sharp editorial response from the Times of India which appeared on Sunday.
The decision to abolish the prayer break is being viewed as part of a broader trend of increasing hostility towards Muslim practices. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his concern over what he perceives as a worrying escalation in Hindutva elements’ influence. “The entire country is worried about the hooliganism of Hindutva elements,” Gandhi said. “Their agenda now seems to be targeting the very rituals and practices of our minority communities.”
The Times of India’s editorial weighed in on the issue, calling on the central BJP leadership to address the rhetoric of Chief Minister Sarma. The editorial criticised the state government’s move as both politically and socially damaging. “It is really time for the central BJP to rein in Himanta’s rhetoric, even if behind closed doors,” the editorial said. “Sarma’s decision to discontinue the two-hour break for Muslim MLAs is a clear example of how Hindutva elements are encroaching on minority rights.”
The editorial highlights that the decision contradicts the principles of fairness and productivity.
The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), both part of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), have voiced their disapproval, noting that if the aim was to increase legislative productivity, similar practices benefiting other religious communities should also be reviewed. “If a fair standard were used, then the stated goal of increasing legislative productivity would see certain Hindu practices also being axed,” a JD(U) spokesperson stated.
Further scrutiny comes from the Assam United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which argues that the historical practice of allowing a Friday prayer break was justified given the significant number of Muslim MLAs in the state. They compared the situation to other public religious gatherings that occur across India, pointing out that such double standards are dangerous. “The Assam decision recalls efforts to prevent jumma namaz in public spaces, which ignored the fact that India’s streets are shared by all its religious occasions,” AIUDF commented.
The editorial also criticised Sarma for his inflammatory remarks and discriminatory policies. Sarma’s recent actions, including questioning a journalist’s religious identity and making divisive statements about “Miya Muslims,” have been deemed inconsistent with his constitutional duties. “Sarma’s rhetoric is undermining public order and morality,” the Times of India’s editorial concluded. “Even if there are electoral motivations behind such statements, they are morally unjustifiable.”
The decision to end the Friday prayer break and the surrounding rhetoric has sparked a broader debate about religious freedom and the influence of extremist ideologies in Indian politics. As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen how the central BJP leadership will respond to the growing discontent and the call for greater inclusivity and fairness in governance.
