In a major development, the Lakshadweep Education Department has released a new calendar for schools of the Union territory to end the decades-old tradition of ‘Jumma holidays’ on Friday.
As per reports, Friday has been a holiday for school students for 6 decades on ‘religious grounds’ while Saturday has been a working half-day. Lakshadweep has a Muslim population of 96.58% as per the 2011 Census data.
Mohammed Faizal, MP from Lakshadweep, has alleged that the decision to end the Jumma Holiday was taken without consulting district panchayat, local bodies or the people. He claimed, “Such a decision is not within the people’s mandate. It is a unilateral decision of the administration.” He said that changes in the local system must be brought after consulting the stakeholders (local people).
According to officials, the administrative decision was taken to ensure proper engagement of learners, optimum utilisation of resources and planning of the teaching-learning process. Lakshadqwwp District Panchayat Vice-President, PP Abbas, had written to the Advisor to Administrator Praful Khoda Patel, seeking revocation of the new calendar.
Abbas has cited ‘sentiments’ of parents and students to back his claim. He had emphasised that a majority of the people on the island were Muslims and that Friday Namaz is an ‘unavoidable religious practice.’ He has urged the Lakshadweep Education Department to hold a meeting with elected representatives and stakeholders.
Lakshadweep has been in the eye of a political storm after the Union Territory’s new administrator, Praful Khoda Patel, issued a set of orders and brought in new rules and regulations. The administrative reforms initiated by Lakshadweep administrator Praful Khoda has met with stiff resistance, especially by the opposition parties, claiming that the new rules will hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim population living on the island.
The opposition parties, including Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal, have claimed that the new reforms are aimed at “destroying the unique culture and tradition” of the islands.
The reforms include measures to promote tourism and develop infrastructure at the Islands to bring tourists and improve job prospects for the inhabitants.