The Assam legislature has voted to do away with its long-standing tradition of providing Muslim lawmakers with a two-hour Friday namaz break. On 30th August, the assembly rules committee decided to keep the House’s business open on Jummah like other days. This practice was started in 1937 with the establishment of the state’s assembly. The House used to adjourn for two hours on Fridays at 11 a.m. so that Muslim MLAs could attend namaz and return to work after lunch.
This decision was made following amendments to the Assam Assembly’s Rules of Procedure by the Rules Committee, which was led by Speaker Biswajit Daimary. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the move as “historical” and declared that this was a step towards boosting productivity and doing away with colonial practices. He highlighted that the “practice was introduced by Muslim League’s Syed Saadulla in 1937.”
By doing away with the 2 hour Jumma break, @AssamAssembly has prioritised productivity and shed another vestige of colonial baggage.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 30, 2024
This practice was introduced by Muslim League’s Syed Saadulla in 1937.
My gratitude to Hon’ble Speaker Shri @BiswajitDaimar5 dangoriya and our…
The official press statement released on the last day of the autumn session of the assembly read, “Since the creation of the Assam Legislative Assembly, the sitting of the Assembly on Friday used to be adjourned at 11 am to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaz. The assembly used to resume its proceedings in the post-lunch session after the Muslim members came back from the namaz. On all other days, the House used to conduct its proceedings without any such adjournment for religious purposes.”
“Shri Biswajit Daimary, Hon’ble Speaker took note of this matter andin view of the secular nature of the Constitution, proposed that the Assam Legislative Assembly must conduct its proceedings on Fridays like any other day without any adjournment to facilitate Muslim members to go for namaaz. Accordingly, the proposal to do away with this rule in the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly was placed before the Rules Committee headed by the Hon’ble Speaker. The Rules Committee unanimously agreed to drop this rule. Accordingly, today, the House adopted a motion to amend this rule so as to provide for sitting of the House for conduct of its proceedings on Fridays like any other day. So, today history has been created by doing away with this colonial practice which was aimed at dividing the society on religious basis,” it further added.
“Since the British times in India, a break used to be given in the Assam Assembly every Friday for offering Namaz. There was a break of two hours between 12 pm an 2 pm in which Muslim legislators would offer Namaz every Friday. But this rule has been changed from now on and there will be no break,” stated BJP MLA from Sarupathar Assembly segment Biswajit Phukan. He added that the decision was made unanimously at a meeting presided over by Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary and had the approval of other lawmakers.
“Everybody has voiced support for this decision. It has been studied that Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Assembly houses in other states do not have the provision of giving a break for offering Namaz. Hence the Speaker of Assam Assembly also decided to end this British-era rule,” he mentioned. He expressed that the Assam assembly meets Monday through Thursday at 9.30 am and on Friday at 9 am, with a two-hour break for Namaz. The assembly will now commence meeting every day at 9.30 am per the latest announcement. According to sources, the decision will take effect during the assembly’s upcoming winter session. Assam has notably abolished another pre-independence regulation.
