Guwahati: For the first time in nearly 90 years, the Assam Legislative Assembly has done away with the tradition of a two-hour break on Fridays to allow Muslim legislators to offer ‘namaz’.
The decision to discontinue the break was finalised in the last session of the House in August but was only implemented during the ongoing budget session.
The break, which had been a longstanding practice, was first introduced in 1937 during the tenure of Syed Saadulla, a member of the Muslim League.
However, in a move aligned with the Constitution’s secular principles, the Speaker-led Rules Committee of the Assembly, led by Speaker Biswajit Daimary, decided to abolish the practice.
The committee unanimously agreed to hold Assembly sessions on Fridays without the break, citing the need to prioritise productivity over tradition.
AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam expressed dissatisfaction with the decision, stating that it was imposed based on the strength of the ruling party’s numbers in the Assembly.
Islam suggested that the ruling BJP, with its majority, had enforced the change without proper consideration of Muslim legislators’ needs.
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Leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia, also voiced concerns, noting that Muslim MLAs had to miss important discussions while offering their prayers.
He suggested that a nearby provision for namaz could be arranged so legislators could fulfill their religious obligations without disrupting Assembly proceedings.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, defended the decision, describing the ‘namaz break’ as a colonial-era vestige and asserting that ending the practice would increase the Assembly’s productivity.
Sarma noted that this decision reflects the state’s secular framework and eliminates outdated traditions.
From now on, the Assam Assembly will begin at 9:30 am every day, including Fridays, eliminating the two-hour break previously granted to Muslim legislators for their Friday prayers.
