New Delhi, December 23, 2021 (PPI-OT):Despite resistance from the Muslim locals, the administration of the Indian-administered Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea is now going to change Friday holiday into Sunday. According to Kashmir Media Service, due to the move, the students of the islands with 96 per cent Muslim population will now miss the mandatory weekly congregation for Namaaz (prayer).

The students in the Lakshadweep Islands used to enjoy Friday sabbatical so far. But that is now going to change with the administration opting for Sunday as holiday despite resistance from the locals. The students of the islands with 96 per cent Muslim population will now miss the mandatory weekly congregation for Namaaz (prayer). The order makes changes in the schedules of both English-medium and Malayalam-medium schools.

As per an Indian Express report, the new calendar for the 2021-22 academic year marks Sundays as weekly offs. The Education Department of the territory issued an order on December 17 with new timings and regular activities for schools with a plea to ‘ensure optimum utilisation of resources’ and to ensure ‘proper engagement of learners and necessary planning of teaching-learning process’, the report said.

Incensed by the move, the locals complained that they were not consulted. They said the new directives were issued by the Education Department unilaterally, without seeking public consensus. They didn’t even deem it fit to consult local panchayat and school Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) before passing the order, the report said quoting a local leader who opted to remain anonymous.

Lakshadweep parliamentarian Mohammed Faizal PP of Nationalist Congress Party called the move ‘unilateral’ and ‘unpopular’. “This is a totally one-sided decision. Only if he (the administrator) had a discussion with elected representatives, he could understand the local issues.

The Education Department director has no choice but to release the order. Already, there exists a system on the islands under which children attend madrassa classes on Friday mornings. The new timings will (clash with it),” the Express report quoted Faizal as saying. He said the public here can’t even protest against the anti-people policies of the administration for fear of being subjected to disciplinary action on fake cases. The administration’s actions in the past have instilled fear in the people.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org