The ruling Trinamool Congress has chosen to “ignore” a letter from Bengal BJP president Sukanto Majumdar requesting her to declare a holiday on January 22 so that the people can celebrate the inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Though considering it to be an “emotive issue” none of the senior TMC leaders would make a comment government sources said that the rulers have preferred to ignore the letter and let the day pass off peacefully.
Majumdar in his letter that like on earlier “special occasions” the Chief Minister had announced holidays on she should consider January 22 a special day when the idol of Lord Rama would be consecrated in Ayodhya.
“I have requested our CM … to kindly consider declaring 22nd January 2024 to be a school holiday, so that the youth of West Bengal gets to rejoice in the Ram Mandir consecration celebrations,” Majumdar posted on the X.
Later Majumdar said, “the Chief Minister has announced a separate programme where she will lead a rally … she is free to do what she likes … that is her prerogative … alongside she also enjoys the prerogative of announcing a state holiday like they have done in many other States to let the people of Bengal celebrate the inauguration of Ram Temple … the whole world is celebrating … and Bengal should be a part of this celebration … now it depends upon the Chief Minister on which side of the rope she wants to stand … where she claims to be a devout Hindu … she should not have any difficulty in announcing a holiday because Lord Rama belongs to the entire mankind, member of all the religions.”
While sources in the Government privately said that the letter has been “chosen to be ignored” the TMC leadership refused to comment on it saying they were not the right persons to make comments on the issue.
Notwithstanding, the TMC’s studied silence a senior leader and an MP made a loaded statement — of course on conditions of anonymity — saying the present “Government declares holidays on Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Laxmi Puja, Saraswati Puja and Biswkarma Puja, Janmashtami which are being celebrated for centuries and go along with the culture of the State.” He would not however qualify the word “culture” so to say.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking declaration of January 22 a “dry day”. The Bench of Chief Justice said that the declaration of dry day was a policy matter and its provisions were contained in respective enactments which the Court could not over write.
“This is a policy decision… a beverage corporation is there, and the trade is regulated by way of an enactment under the Excise Act. Unless those provisions are challenged, we cannot do anything,” the Court opined.
Elsewhere State Opposition Leader Suvendu Adhikari too attacked Mamata for coming in the way of the people who want to celebrate the inauguration of Ram Temple.
