'Prioritise Productivity': Assam Assembly Ends 2-Hour Jumma Break For MLAs

Guwahati: The Assam Assembly on Friday announced to abolish a British-era practice that allowed a break for Friday Namaz. Going forward, Muslim MLAs will no longer receive a break for Namaz prayers on Fridays. Taking On X (formerly Twitter), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma asserted that the decision has been taken in order to prioritise productivity.  

“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 Hon’ble Speaker Shri @BiswajitDaimar5 dangoriya and our legislators for this historical decision,” said Sarma.

Biswajit Phukan, a BJP MLA from the Sarupathar Assembly segment, explained the recent change: “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 P.M. and 2 P.M. in which Muslim legislators would offer Namaz every Friday. But this rule has been changed from now on and there will be no break.”

Phukan noted that the decision was made during a meeting led by Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary and received unanimous support from other legislators.

 “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,” Phukan stated.

He added that previously, the Assam Assembly started at 9:30 A.M. from Monday to Thursday and at 9 A.M. on Fridays to accommodate the two-hour Namaz break. With the new decision, the Assembly will now start at 9:30 A.M. every day.