BJP writes to Mamata, urges her to declare holiday on January 22

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar on Friday, January 19, wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to declare a holiday on January 22 so that people can participate in the celebrations marking the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.

Central government establishments, public sector banks, insurance companies, financial institutions and regional rural banks (RRBs) across the country will remain closed for half a day on January 22. Several states, including neighbouring Assam and Odisha, have also declared a half-day holiday to mark the consecration ceremony.

“I have requested our Hon’ble CM @MamataOfficial (Mamata Banerjee) 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 X, sharing a copy of the letter he wrote to the chief minister.

In his letter, he said the chief minister has declared holidays on several special occasions in the past.

“So we think that on the occasion of the Ram Temple inauguration, the people of the state should also be allowed to participate in the festivities. We therefore request you to officially declare the day as a holiday,” he said.

Reacting to Majumdar’s letter, the TMC leadership wondered whether there is any specific date in the Hindu almanac where the specific auspicious date for Ram Temple’s inauguration is mentioned.

“Is there any specific date in the almanac or any other Hindu religious calendar where the auspicious date for Ram Temple inauguration is mentioned? Has Sukanta Majumdar turned into a priest? The event (Ram Temple inauguration) where a host of BJP leaders will be present is a political event ahead of the Lok Sabha politics. Unlike the BJP, we don’t mix religion with politics,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said.

Banerjee, who is also the chief of the ruling TMC, will lead a ‘rally for harmony’ on January 22 from Hazra Crossing in south Kolkata to Park Circus, where a public meeting will also be held.

She will start the all-faith march after offering ‘puja’ at the centuries-old Kalighat temple, and visit places of worship of different religions during its course.